


Hypnotherapy

by Zelkova48



Category: RWBY
Genre: Always read the instructions, F/M, Fun times at Beacon Academy, Multiple Personalities, Out of Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-07-12 23:53:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 124,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16005908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zelkova48/pseuds/Zelkova48
Summary: In an attempt to raise Jaune's low self-esteem, Pyrrha and Ruby employ an unorthodox method: hypnotism. Shockingly, the hypnosis works, and Jaune is now the very picture of confidence. Although, he is acting a little stranger than usual, but it shouldn't be anything too serious, right?





	1. Ruby and The Hypno Ring

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was originally posted on Fanfiction.net. Enjoy.

Jaune swung with reckless abandon at the training drones in the Beacon Academy practice rooms, foolishly forfeiting all of his knowledge in sparring with Pyrrha in a desperate attempt to best the drones with his own strength. Unsurprisingly, the drones easily dodge each and every one of Jaune's strikes, landing a swift and painful counter blow whenever he tried to press his attack.

Despite his endurance and massive aura pool, Jaune was quickly overwhelmed where he collapsed onto his back a broken, sweaty mess of a man. All the drones deactivated upon him reaching below fifty percent aura, followed by a set of surveyor bots flying in and hauling them away into storage. Panting heavily, Jaune allowed his tears to flow freely, thankful of the fact that he was alone so that no one can see him in such a pitiful state.

Gripping his hands in a tight fist, Jaune cursed beneath his breath. Mentally berating himself for making such a stupid decision. Trying to muscle through the fight was a tactical error on his part, and he had no one to blame but himself. He could've utilized everything that he learned from Pyrrha and his friends and won with relative ease, but instead he stubbornly chose not to out of idiotic pride.

He was an Arc. The blood of countless heroes and heroines spanning across several generations coursed through his veins, but the weight of his legacy was often to much for him to bear all at once. He wanted so desperately to forge his own identity amongst the pantheon of his ancestors that he was willing to risk his own steady growth as a hunter just to prove to himself that he was something he wasn't: a hero.

Saving lives and ridding Remnant of the nightmarish Grimm was more important than being a big shot hero, but why couldn't he see that? Why does he constantly torture himself with efforts to fulfill a pipe dream that he knows he could never hope to accomplish? Why does he hold himself back and purposely stunt his own potential? Why couldn't he muster up the confidence to just be himself and move on with his life?

"Sheesh, I'm so pathetic." Jaune muttered as he brought his hands to his face. "I can't even beat these drones on easy mode. I don't even know why I bother anymore..."

As he sulked, a lone figure peering from off in the observation deck watched with watery eyes and a heavy heart. Turning away, the figure leaves the practice room. Leaves to seek help for Jaune Arc and his waning confidence.

* * *

Ruby was all alone in her dorm room, resting comfortably on her bed as she buried her face in a good book, giggling uncontrollably every time she turned the page. The rest of her team had all gone out to Vale for a nice relaxing day out on the town, while she chose to stay back and reread for the millionth time perhaps the greatest piece of literature ever produce in the history of Remnant: The Adventures of Captain Underpants.

It is a well known fact that Captain Underpants is a popular children's book, it is an even lesser known fact that Captain Underpants had been banned from several schools across the continent for having questionable content unsuitable for the age group that it was appealing to. But that was all a part of why Ruby loved the series so much. Another would be that the book was downright hilarious to read, and it only got funnier with each time she read it.

She struggled to rein her laughing fits, only to fail miserably with each paragraph she read. The book was worth it's weight in gold, now if only she could get Blake to appreciate it. It was whole heck of a lot better than 'Ninjas of Love' or whatever the heck it was called. A cheesy title does not make up for the fact that it was a lousy romance novel that had an underground fanbase praising its originality and bold blah, blah, blah. Ruby ain't having not of that.

"Oh, Dav Pilkey. How on earth do you do it?" she asked aloud in between giggles. "How do you keep me chuckling like there's no tomorrow?"

As she turned to read the next page, she heard a loud set of knock come from her front door. Setting her book down, she hopped off her bed and ran on over to answer the door. WIth a curt turn of the knob and a swing of the door, Ruby was pleasantly surprised to see that it was Pyrrha who had knocked. However, Ruby's smile waned slightly when she noticed her friend's downcast expression.

"Hey, Pyrrha. Is something wrong?" Pyrrha shuffled in place, sighing heavily before looking Ruby in the eye.

"Can I discuss something with you in private? It's about Jaune." Ruby raised her eyebrow at Pyrrha's request. What happened?

"Sure, come on in. Everyone else is at Vale so it's just us two and the floorboards." Pyrrha nodded and entered, choosing to take a seat on the chair by the desk while Ruby plopped back to her bed.

"So what's wrong with Jaune? Is Cardin still bullying him? Because if he is then I say we should get the go ahead to execute plan N! Plan Nora!" Ruby shouted furiously with a shake of her fist. Pyrrha giggled, her mood lightened a little by the girl's antics.

"No, it's not that, Ruby." Pyrrha sighed again. "I found Jaune at the practice rooms earlier today trying to fight training drones on his own, and he took a pretty bad beating from them."

"Yikes." Ruby winced. " Oh, well. It probably wasn't so bad. He's a tough guy. I sure the only thing that's damaged is his pride."

"I'm afraid that the damage is much more severe than you think, Ruby."

"What do you mean?" Ruby leaned forward against her bed's footboard.

"Jaune's been beating himself over his own abilities, and it's only getting worse. He's slowly losing confidence in himself and if something's not done soon I'm afraid he might start a downward spiral towards a deep depression." Pyrrha looked to the floor. "I want to help him get rid of all his self doubt, I really do, but I don't know what to do."

"Shouldn't we discuss this with Ren and Nora, or with Jaune himself?"

"I tried to talking to Jaune about his problem before. He constantly dodges the question, every time I think I've got him he assures me that everything is fine when really it's not. As for Ren and Nora, I don't like keeping them out in the dark, but it would be preferable if this issue was only known between you and I. Besides, the two are out shopping at the moment. Well, Nora is. Ren is probably there to carry her bags."

"Should we talk to the instructors about it then? Maybe we can get some counseling for him." Ruby suggested.

"I thought about that, but do you think we'll ever get Jaune to agree to it?"

"As his concerned friends, we could alway force him to do it." Ruby grinned mischievously. "Okay, here's what we do. We'll stage an intervention, with him thinking that it's someone's birthday party. When he shows up to the party," she used air quotes, "we tackle him down onto the ground, knock him out and drag his limp body over to where he can get some help with his confidence issue!"

"Or, how about we take things nice and easy and not give Jaune a heart attack by forcing him into something he probably wants no part of." Pyrrha advised.

"Are you sure? It's either that, or talking it out with him." Ruby fell back onto her bed. "Maybe I should try talking to him. If he won't open up to you, his own partner, maybe he'll open up to a fellow leader in training."

"Hmm... We might as well go with option number two. I hope that you have to raise his spirits up since you do seem to have a way with pep talks."

"It has been a while since I gave a rousing speech." Ruby scratched at her chin. "Although, I feel that even if my speech gets to him, there is a chance he could relapse back into a sad sack, and we wouldn't want that. I wonder if there's any way that we can make him see that he isn't a failure?"

Ruby let her mind wander for a few seconds, pondering for a solution to the problem at hand. She needed a way for Jaune to see himself for the intelligent and brave leader he was, but how was she going to do get rid of all his self doubts without it coming back to haunt him again in the near future? She needed both a short term and a long term solution, and she needed it now. But what? What?

Her eyes glanced all around the room, looking for some sort of sign to tell her what she must do. When her eyes skimmed over her books, inspiration struck her like a bolt of lightning from Monty himself.

"I got it!" Ruby exclaimed as the metaphorical light bulb went off above her head.

"What? What is it?" Pyrrha reeled back from Ruby's sudden outburst. Ruby hopped off her bed and ran to the bookshelf where she pulled out a worn book before shoving it right in front of Pyrrha's face. The book was none other than,

"Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman?" Pyrrha raised an eyebrow. "What does this kid's book have to do with Jaune?"

"Duh, it has everything to do with Jaune!"

"It does?" Pyrrha tilted her head.

"Of course it does!" Ruby shook her book and a small cheap looking red plastic ring with a black and white spiral patterned holographic center fell out from its inner pages. It was still wrapped in its original plastic packaging and looked brand spanking new. "Behold, the solution to all our problems! This is the 3-D hypno ring!" she showed it to Pyrrha, who looked perplexed by the small red piece of faux jewelry.

"This little beauty came with the special edition of this book. The main characters in this story used it to hypnotize people for fun. Don't you realize what this means, Pyrrha?" Ruby grinned widely.

"I'm sorry, but, you lost me at Captain Underpants." Pyrrha grinned back weakly. Ruby rolled her eyes.

"It means that if we can't convince Jaune to be more confident in himself, then we can hypnotize him using the 3-D hypno ring into thinking that he really is!" Ruby proclaimed.

"Excuse me?" Pyrrha furrowed her brow. "Can you run that by me again?" Ruby sighed and shook her head at her friends ignorance towards such a genius idea.

"We'll use the 3-D hypno ring to hypnotize Jaune into become the confident leader that he really is, got that?" Ruby spoke slowly and enunciated every little syllable clearly.

"Ruby, don't speak to me like I'm a child." Pyrrha stated firmly, causing Ruby to deflate a little.

"Sorry" Ruby's head drooped.

"It's alright." Pyrrha's expression softened. "But what's not alright is the idea of using hypnotism on Jaune to solve the issue of his insecurities."

"Do you have any better ideas?" Ruby raised her eyebrow.

"No, not at the moment. But do you honestly believe that something as bizarre and unreliable as hypnotism can help Jaune?"

"It's worth a shot, don't you think?" Runy insisted. "Look, if it doesn't work, then we're going to try our hardest to get Jaune some counseling, okay?"

"Um... I'm still not sure. Have you done this sort of thing before? I mean, that does look like a really cheap ring. And I highly doubt that it could be used to hypnotize someone."

"I'm sure it isn't hard." Ruby waved it off. "All I have to do is read the step by step instructions and we'll be good to go! After all, if George and Harold were able to turn their mean principal into a underwear themed superhero, and their nasty teacher into a hair raising villainess that gave people wedgies, then I'm sure we'll be okay!"

"Somehow that doesn't make the idea of hypnotizing Jaune any more pleasant than it already sounds." Pyrrha grimaced.

"That's the spirit!" Ruby gleefully ran over and patted Pyrrha on the back. "Now, go get Jaune while I figure out how to use the ring." As Pyrrha turned to leave, Ruby began to tear open the hypno ring's packaging, and somehow failing entirely to do so. She stretched, she strained, she gnawed vehemently at the plastic wrappings, but to no avail.

"Grr... come on! Open up!"

* * *

Jaune trekked down the halls of the school's dormitories, making his way back to his room after getting his butt handed to him on a silver platter by the training drones earlier. His whole body felt heavy as he dragged himself onward, he could practically hear his bones and muscles cry out for the relief of rest with each forced step that he took. He felt terrible, both physically and mentally.

"Well, I got absolutely nothing accomplished today, except getting wailed on by training drones. Go me." Jaune droned on, followed by a yawn shortly after. "Man, I can't wait to just collapse onto my bed and get some sle-"

"Hey, Jaune!"

Jaune nearly jumped out of his skin upon being loudly addressed. Frantically turning around, he was relieved to find out that it was Pyrrha who had called out to him. Pyrrha waved at him as she ran through the halls, to which he waved back lamely.

"Oh. Hey, Pyrrha. How's it going?" Jaune asked with another yawn.

"Fine, fine." Pyrrha replied with a gentle smile. "What about you? You look tired."

"Tired is an understatement, Pyrrha. I'm wiped out." Jaune stretched, hearing the satisfying pops that his bones gave. "I need sleep, and I needed it yesterday."

"I'm heading back to our dorm as well, but I need a little help with something. Do you think you can help me out for a bit?" Pyrrha asked.

"I don't know. I'm really tired, and I just want to get some sleep." Jaune yawned.

"It's just a small experiment that Ruby and I are trying out. We just need you to be our guinea pig for a few minutes." Pyrrha fibbed.

"A guinea pig?" Jaune raised his eyebrow. "This isn't going to hurt, is it?"

"Not at all!" Pyrrha reassured Jaune. "In fact, you'll probably feel a whole lot better in the end. You might even say that you're a changed man."

"Really? Sounds kinda awesome. Lead the way."

Jaune followed Pyrrha all the way back to team RWBY's dorm, albeit sluggishly and with constant yawns escaping the exhausted boys mouth. When he finally reached the door, he entered and saw that Ruby was standing in the center of the room, right next to a lone chair.

"Hi, Jaune!" Ruby greeted. "I'm glad you can make it to our little experiment!"

"I'm happy to help." replied Jaune. He could feel his eyelids droop down but did his best to keep them up. "So, what do you need me to do?"

"Just sit down on the chair." Ruby guided her sleepy friend over. Jaune lazily plopped himself down onto the seat and awaited for the further instruction. "Now, what's going to happen next is that yours truly is gonna hypnotize you." Jaune raised his eyebrow, a look of amusement slowly formed on his face.

"Hypnotize? You're going to hypnotize me?" Jaune chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Ruby pouted.

"It's just, you can't hypnotize me. I'm too smart for this kind of thing to affect me." Jaune heard a snigger come from behind him. He turned around to only find Pyrrha absently checking her nails.

"Oh, really? Well, we'll see if you can or can't be hypnotized when I have you acting like a chicken under my control!"

"Ruby!" Pyrrha scolded the girl. "Stick to the experiment."

"Oh, I'm gonna enjoy this" Jaune smirked.

Ignoring the snide comment, Ruby pulled out the 3-D hypno ring from her pocket and wore it on her right middle finger. After adjust the ring, she reached into her pocket again and pulled out small piece of paper.

"Alright. So it says here that in order to hypnotize someone, show the ring to them and make them look directly at the holographic center. Huh, seems easy enough."

"You're only reading the instructions now?" Pyrrha asked incredulously.

"It was very hard to remove the thing from its stupid packaging, okay!" Ruby cried.

"Um, girls? Can we get a move on with this?" Jaune cut in.

"Oh, right." Ruby blushed before bringing the ring up to Jaune's face. "Step number two; once the recipient is looking directly at the holographic spiral, slowly move the ring back and forth until the recipient enters trance."

Ruby did as the instructions stated and moved the ring back and forth before Jaune, causing to the holographic center to grant the illusion that it was gyrating. Jaune stared at spinning spiral, feeling his mind drift in and out of consciousness as the seconds passed by. Whether it was because he was actually being placed in a trance or if it was because his drowsiness was getting to him he couldn't tell.

Before long, however, Jaune succumbed to his waning consciousness, causing him to shut his eyes and his head to hang low. Ruby let out a silent squeal. She was genuinely excited to see that she was indeed putting Juane under her hypnotic spell, doing her best to contain her excitement. Even Pyrrha was amazed, but unless it all works out in the end then this was nothing more than a waste of time.

"I can't believe it, it's working!" Ruby smiled widely before looking over her instruction again. "Okay, step three; once the recipient enters a trance, issue a command and then determine a switch for the recipient to abide by. Huh?" Ruby looked perplexed, turning to Pyrrha. " What's a switch?"

"I think it's way to get the hypnotized to do what they were ordered to." said Pyrrha.

"Oh, okay then." Ruby turned back to Jaune. "Jaune Arc, listen to the sound of my voice. When I tap you on your head, you shall be more confident in yourself. You will no longer look down on yourself, and have a greater outlook on life than you once had. Is that clear?" Jaune's unconscious form mumbled something beneath his breath. "I'll take that as a yes. Ahem, then by the power invested in me, I declare the old Jaune Arc no more than a distant memory!"

Ruby then lightly tapped Jaune on his head, expecting for the boy to arise a new man. Both she and Pyrrha waited, and waited, but nothing happened.

"Uh... let's try that again." Ruby scratched at the back of her head nervously. "By the power invested in me, I declare the old Jaune Arc no more than a distant memory!" she shouted much more vigorously than before, but tapping Jaune lightly on the head again. Again, no reactions. "Hey! What's going on here? I followed the instructions, so why isn't this working?"

"Ruby, are you sure you followed all the steps?" Pyrrha asked.

"Pyrrha, there were only three steps on the instruction sheet." Ruby deadpanned.

"Then clearly you must've done something wrong."

"You don't know that." Ruby defended.

Just as Pyrrha was about to retort, a low sound rumbled through the room. The girls were startled at first, but upon locating the source of the sound they found out that it was just Jaune, and that he was snoring. Jaune was fast asleep, and by extension, it looked like any attempt at hypnotizing him had failed.

"It didn't work." Pyrrha looked over Jaune, snapping her finger in front of him. The only response she received was more snoring. "Yep, he's out like a light. Sleep finally got to him it seems. Sorry, Ruby. I guess hypnotism really was a crazy as it sounded."

"Darn it. And I was so sure my plan was going to work." Ruby huffed, crossing her arms in displeasure.

"I'm sorry, Ruby. I'll go see Dr. Oobleck tomorrow to get some counseling for Jaune then. Come on, grab his legs, I'll take his arm. You're helping me bring him back to our dorm." Pyrrha reached on over and picked up Jaune's body, while Ruby did the same. Together they carried him out of team RWBY's dorm and back into team JNPR's, where they tucked him into bed and left as quietly as they could as not to disturb the sleeping boy.

"I know Oobleck is a doctor and all, but do you think he's really qualified for this kind of thing? I mean the man speaks at a million miles a second, and he's always going off on a tangent..." As Ruby's voice faded away, Jaune began to stir in his sleep. A splitting headache struck him hard and he began to writhe in bed, feeling something inside him change. For better or for worse...

* * *

The very next morning was full of hustle and bustle within the cafeteria as students poured in to receive the most important meal of the day. Team RWBY and the NPR portion of team JNPR were all seated and enjoying breakfast, idly chatting with each other before they took notice of a familiar mop of blonde hair belonging to their friend strolling down the aisles with his head held high, his chest puffed out, and a noticeable spring in his step.

Each step that Jaune took towards his friends was strong, measured, and full of enthusiasm for this brand new day. While the others simply brushed off Jaune's joyfulness as waking up on the right side of the bed, Pyrrha and Ruby were left awestruck by how all traces of his self-depreciating ways had faded away overnight. It was almost as though...

"Yes!" Ruby jumped up from her seat, earning a few stares from the people around her. Supressing a blush she slowly sank back into her seat, chuckling weakly as she did so. "They uh... have my favorite brand of orange juice. Heh, heh..." She turned over and inconspicuously whispered to Pyrrha. "My hypnosis worked! Jaune's cured."

"I-I can see that." Pyrrha whispered back before blinking, making sure that what she was seeing was true. "Look at him, he's like a guy version of Nora." She involuntarily dry heaved. "Ugh, I can't believe I just made that comparison."

"Hola compadres, how's everyone doing today?" He asked cheerily with an odd latin accent gracing his voice.

"Probably not a good as you are vomit boy," Yang sized Jaune up, "where is all this confidence coming from? Did someone inject you with a syringe full of liquid sunshine?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I just woke up this morning and felt like I could take on the whole day." Jaune smiled a smile so bright it was damn near blinding. Shielding themselves from the overwhelming glare of the smile, Weiss was the first to break away from the light and speak up.

"So now I guess this is the part where you try to ask me out again with another one of your idiotic one liners." Weiss remarked rather coldly. "When are you going to get it through your thick skull that I'm not interested in you, you troglodyte."

"Me, with you? Never." Jaune's smile morphed into one of mild contempt. "Not even my passion, which burns with the white hot intensity of a thousand sun would I ever hope to melt away such a frigid exterior. Although, I'd love to see the man that's willing to pair themselves with such a cold woman. He's going to need a heat pack in his pants once he's through dancing the horizontal flamenco with you."

With that said, the area around the table became deathly silent. Jaune Arc, the man who was known all over campus as the knucklehead who was head over heels for the young heiress, just denied his love for her. Not only that. he openly expressed his displeasure as to why he would never want to be with the girl. To say that many were shocked was a major understatement.

"Whoa, whoa. Is this a dream? Am I dreaming?" Yang asked aloud, pinching herself in the cheek. "Did vomit boy just blow off Weiss?"

"I think he just did." Blake commented with wide eyes. "Yang, pinch me too."

Weiss lost her voice. She wanted to speak, to viciously berate the boy before her for speaking the unspeakable to an heiress of the Schnee family name. But the shock was still in her system, and all she could do at the moment was turn red in anger.

"H-how dare you!" Weiss angrily rebuked. "Are you saying that I'm not good enough for you!? You are beneath me, Arc! I stand atop the highest mountain in society that you could never hope to reach ever! You're not good enough for me!"

"Hmm... In a way, you are right. But know that my passion is an unquenchable fire that cannot be smoted. A bright star that illuminates the darkness, and guides the lost towards their path." Jaune stated firmly. "My burning love is only reserved for the one I would willingly give my life for. You, miss Schnee, are not the one."

"...Wow, Jaune. That was preety deep." Nora uttered. "When did you get all philosophical and stuff?"

"Jaune? Who is Jaune?" Jaune asked.


	2. Me llamo Arc, Juan Arc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new Arc is born, and he is set on winning Pyrrha's heart.

"Jaune? Who is Jaune?" Jaune asked.

For the second time that day, the area around the table became quiet again. Only this time, the silence sounded absolutely deafening despite the idle chatter of nearby lunchmates. Everyone gawked at Jaune as though he had grown a second head. Although it might not have been the case, it might as well be.

"Que? Do I have something stuck between my teeth." Jaune picked at his teeth.

"Who's Jaune? Why you are, silly!" Nora patted Jaune on the back.

"Well, that is certainly a funny way to pronounce  _Juan_." Jaune, now named Juan, brushed his friend's hand away. "But I would appreciate it if you would just say my name normally. Jaune does not have a romantic ring to it."

Silence once again fell onto the group like a ton of brick. The day started out good enough, but now it was getting pretty confusing. First Jaune openly denies his affections for Weiss, then he claims that he isn't named Jaune, but rather Juan. What the heck is going on here?

"Hola. Is anyone there?" Juan asked. "You guys are acting kinda funny today."

"We're the ones acting funny?" said Yang, her eyes unblinkingly locked onto the boy. "You show up today a ray of sunshine, speaking like some guy out of a cheesy spanish soap opera, blew off Weiss, which is still pretty hard to believe I might add, tell us that your name is  _Juan_ , and you're saying that we're acting funny?"

"That is the gist of it, yes." Juan replied nonchalantly. "You keep pointing out the obvious, senorita. I've always been like this, or did you take a bad hit to the head and forget all about me?"

"Um... just for future reference, since you and I don't really know each other that well, how about a quick refresher?" Blake inquired.

"Of course, anything for the ladies." Juan took a curt look towards Weiss, who was still fuming. "Well, most ladies." He then whipped his head to the side and ran his hands through his hair, assuming a flamboyant pose as he did so. "Mi llamo Arc. Juan Arc. I am a lover and a fighter, but most importantly, I am a  _lover_."

"You said lover twice." Ren pointed out.

"It's what I do best." Juan smirked, shooting a glance towards Pyrrha. "Speaking of which, how is my beautiful dahlia doing today?" Juan spoke in a tone that was sweet as honey fresh from the beehive.

"W-what?" Pyrrha was taken aback by Jau- Juan's? Uh, sudden attention towards her. This kind of attention usually wouldn't bother her since he is her teammate, but by the way he spoke and the way he called her his beautiful dahlia it made her mind go blank. "Uh... um, I-I." She sputtered dumbly. She'd always dreamed of Jaune sweet talking her like this, but now she's unsure of how to react to this peculiar situation. "I-I'm fine. You know how it is."

"Glad to hear." Juan smiled gently as he knelt down and took Pyrrha's hand in his own. "You know, you're lovely when you sputter like that."

In an incredibly bold act that caught everyone off guard, cue silence for the fourth time in the morning alone, Juan leaned forward and tenderly kissed the back of Pyrrha's hand like a seasoned gentlemen, causing the already flustered girl to spout out more incoherent nonsense and her mind to overload.

But he didn't stop there, oh no. He followed through and hungrily kissed along the length of her arm, uttering compliment after compliment in between kisses. Pyrrha was glad that he was only kissing the sleeves of her uniform, because she was pretty sure she'd pass out from utter bliss if he was actually kissing her bare flesh.

"Did I ever tell you that your hair flows like the finest red velvet in the land? Men from all over Remnant would willingly throw themselves into great dangers just to have a chance to run their finger through your crimson locks, if only for a moment."

Kiss.

Pyrrha felt her muscles tensed up upon the contact, but at the same time she was practically melting from his touch. She was frozen on the spot like a hollow glass statue, stoic, yet so frail, occasionally twitching her fingers within Jaune's firm grasp out of anxiety.

"Your vibrant, emerald eyes remind me of the vast ocean during the golden sunset. Serene, calming, breathtaking. Just a single look into your eyes can quell the rage of even the most impassioned creatures."

Kiss.

Her heartbeat jumped a few paces, steadily quickening at an alarming rate. If it were going any faster it would've shot straight out of her chest and beaned Yang right on the head from across the table and knock her unconscious.

"And your skin. It feels so soft. It's almost like your entire being is enrobed in silk, artfully weaved into your perfect form by some of the greatest artisans Remnant has ever known."

Kiss.

Pyrrha's body began to burn up. It was as if she was locked in a sweltering sauna while wearing a fur jacket in the middle of summer. Her breaths came out short and labored. She was being treated like an immortal goddess and by Monty if this was his way of gaining her affections then she was extremely shocked as to why she hadn't already jumped the boy and ravaged him with a barrage of her own kisses.

But her inner voice said otherwise for this sole reason: was this Jaune, or just another man who looked like him? Regardless, she was lost and she didn't know how to respond to Juan? Jaune?

As the two were seemingly trapped in their own little world, everyone else did their best to process the scene unfolding before them. Except maybe for Ruby and Nora who found the sight unarguable adorable and cheered the two on.

Yang's jaw was on the floor, she didn't know that vomit boy had it in him. Or maybe he did and the whole Jaune thing was just a cover for something very different underneath the surface. She'd tease them but would get no satisfaction out of it. If anything it would probably egg Juan on and get a bit more handsy, which she couldn't have with Ruby around. Speaking of which,

"Ruby! Don't look!" Yang rushed over and shielded her sister's innocent young eyes from such a mildly inappropriate display.

"Aw, but I wanna watch!" Ruby cried. "How come you get to watch but I can't!"

"Cause I'm older than you."

"Oh, don't give me that 'because I'm older than you' excuse. You can do better than that sis." Ruby deadpanned, sidling slightly under Yang's hand and continued watching anyway.

Blake and Ren were in the same boat. Both were speechless, but once the initial shock passed and the acceptance settled in, they simply let it be and continued on with their lunch. But that wasn't to say that Jaune's sudden change to Juan left them a bit unnerved, if not worried for the imminent future. Don Juan over there was pretty slick with his words, they didn't want to find out what would happen if he were to apply that smooth talk of his on others.

Nora was cheering on Juan with much fervor, even going as far as to jump up and down on the lunch table, audibly chanting 'Juan and Pyrrha together forever!' over and over again like a mantra. Her excitement was palpable.

But for Weiss, Weiss felt something dark grow in the pit of her stomach, and it wasn't indigestion. For some reason, she couldn't stand seeing Pyrrha receive all of Juan's attention. She couldn't stand hearing every sickeningly sweet compliment come out of Juan's mouth for Pyrrha, when they should be for he- wait, what?

Weiss paled. She couldn't be  _jealous_ , was she? No, no. That wasn't it. She didn't like Juan, that much was true.  _Or was it_? Feeling woozy, Weiss laid her head down and did her damndest to try to block out Juan's words, wrestling with reason and the horrific implications that lingered in her minds because of the blonde goof.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Pyrrha regained control of her senses and did what she thought she would never do if fate itself ever laid out the tarot cards for her. Wrenching her hands out of Juan's own, she pushed the amorous stranger away and backed up from the group. Juan looked as though he had been struck, what happened next though might as well be the equivalent of Pyrrha thrusting milo right into his heart.

"I-I'm sorry. Just..." Pyrrha could say no more. The words just weren't there.

So she ran.


	3. A Problema Arises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pyrrha flees, unable to withstand Juan's burning affection.

Pyrrha ran as far away from the cafeteria as she could, far away from the amorous stranger impersonating her teammate. She didn't know what possessed to act so hastily, but one thing was for certain, staying back in the cafeteria with Juan for even another minute would've been downright catastrophic for her.

Upon reaching the main quad of Beacon's campus, Pyrrha allowed herself a moment's reprieve, collapsing onto a nearby bench as she struggled to quell her throbbing heart. Try as she might, however, the feeling simply refused to go away. She was trapped in deep conflict with herself. Her heart was shouting for her to run back, to take the opportunity to be with Juane and never let go. But she knew better.

The man that was courting her mere moments ago looked like Jaune, but his personality was of an entirely different person. One that was apparently spanish, a romanticist, and was deeply infatuated with her. Not that she had a problem with that, but that was exactly the problem! Kind of, sort of,  _maybe_...

Pyrrha sighed to herself, she didn't even know what she was saying anymore. On one hand, she wouldn't have to worry about Jaune moping to himself anymore. On the other, she'll have to deal with someone named Juan Arc from here on out. Was this a good thing, or a bad thing? Should she just ask Ruby to reverse her hypnosis on him and get him some real help? What was the point of making him feel better about himself when he's not really himself?

"Pyrrha!" Pyrrha's head shot up upon hearing her name being called. Off on the opposite end of the quad she could see Ruby speed on over to her with rose petals trailing behind her as she did so. In a flash, Ruby appeared in front of her with a perplexed look on her face. "There you are! Why'd you run off like that?"

"Ruby, what have we done?" Pyrrha grabbed the younger girl by the shoulders. "We broke Jaune."

"Pfft, what? No we didn't. We made him  _better_!" Ruby exclaimed. "I mean, sure, he calls himself Juan now, and he can speak fluent spanish as a second language, but we cured him of his mopiness!"

"But... what about Jaune?" Pyrrha mumbled dejectedly.

"What about him? He's fine. And apparently, a lot of the others girls think so too. If you catch my drift." Ruby waggled her eyebrow jokingly. "You do, right? Cause if you don't then I can explain it to y-"

"What!?" Pyrrha pulled Ruby towards her in a panic to where their noses were practically touching. "What happen?"

"Uh, well, you see... the reason I was looking for you was because you kinda caused a scene in the cafeteria when you ran out of there in hurry. Not to mention the fact that you did it while lover boy was sweet talking you." Ruby scratched the back of her head. "Because of that little fiasco, you two are today's biggest gossip piece."

"..." Pyrrha was at a loss for words. She loosened her grip on Ruby's shoulder and took a half step back. "What are they saying?"

"Pyrrha Nikos, champion of Minstral, rejects Jaune Arc's heartfelt confession and runs out on him." Ruby explained in conjunction with dramatic hand gestures. "Lover boy's in the market for a new lover, or so the story goes."

"T-that's a lie! He wasn't confessing to me!" Pyrrha stuttered. "He was just complimenting how beautiful my hair was, and my eyes, and how soft my skin was..." She felt herself burn up again as she recalled Juan's exact words. They were all sincere, she could feel it, and that her decision to run all the more hurtful to him.

Even now they succeed in winning her over. Had it not been for her monumental willpower in resisting the call of temptation, she'd throw caution to the wind and get together with him in a heartbeat. But she wanted to be with Jaune, the lovable blonde goofball that caught her eye when the first met, not Juan, self proclaimed fighter and lover extraordinaire.

"Yeah, to us." Ruby started. "The other students around us think otherwise. And thanks to Juan's smooth talking display, everyone's perception of Jaune's changed just like that. You might even say that some of the ladies want a piece of him no-." Ruby paused when she noticed the look of sheer abject terror forming on her friend's face. "Heh heh, I probably shouldn't have said that." Ruby grinned weakly. "Pyrrha? Pyrrha, talk to me."

"I-I think I need to lie down." Pyrrha fell back onto the bench, rubbing her temples in a futile attempt to alleviate the skull splitting migraine just hanging above her head. "Ruby, we have to turn him back to normal. This isn't right."

"Do we have to though?" Ruby pouted. "This version of Jaune's pretty cool, I like him just as much as I like the regular Jaune. And think about it, he technically is still Jaune. Can we keep him around for a little while longer, just to acclimate to him?"

"I'm getting a serious sense of deja vu with the way you're talking to me like this." Pyrrha muttered. "I don't know, Ruby. This goes against my better judgement."

"Just give him a few days. I promise things will get better for the both of you." Ruby sat beside Pyrrha, nudging her arm with her elbow. "So spill, why'd you run off like that? You looked like you were enjoying Juan's compliment a little too much. I never seen you lose your composure like that before."

"I'm a person, Ruby. Not some hard wired fighting machine." Pyrrha retorted, sighing afterwards. "I ran because Juan was just saying so much about me while kissing my arm that I just didn't know what to do. What can I say? Love makes people do stupid stuff. Wouldn't you freak out too if the guy you liked just started treating you like some kind of physical goddess?"

"..." Ruby's eyes were wide. "Oh my gosh!" She jumped from her seat, pointing an accusing finger towards her friend. "You like Jaune!"

Before she could say more, Pyrrha clamped her hands over Ruby's mouth like a vice grip, muffling anymore of her words.

"Shh!" Pyrrha shushed. "Not so loud!" she whispered loudly.

"Mmmph! Mmph?" said Ruby.

"Yes, I have for a while now." Replied Pyrrha.

"Mmph! Mmph! Mmph?"

"I've tried, but I guess my actions were far too subtle to get through to his dense nature, but it's part of his quirk."

"Mmph? Mmph!"

"I don't know. This isn't Jaune, it's Juan."

"Mmph?" Ruby raised her eyebrow.

"Of course there's a difference."

"Mmmph" Ruby deadpanned.

"Aren't you a little young to be telling me that?"

"Mmph." Ruby huffed, crossing her arms. "Mmph! Mmph."

"Well if you want to act like a five year old, then I'll treat you like a five year old. How's that sound?"

"Mmph." Ruby replied dejectedly, slumping over.

"It's okay, just be careful with what you say next time." Pyrrha removed her hand from Ruby's mouth.

"So does that mean you'll give Juan a chance?"

"I'll give him a week, nothing more, nothing less." Pyrrha stated. "If I don't like him then it's back to regular Jaune. Got it?"

"This is going to be an interesting week, then. I mean, how can't you like Juan?"

"We'll see, Ruby. We'll see." Pyrrha took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly to steel herself for the rest of the day. She didn't know what life was going to throw at her now, but she was prepared for it, and she was more than prepared to put up with Juan.

* * *

Whatever resolve Pyrrha had mustered up earlier evaporated immediately the moment she stepped into the classroom. There Juan was, standing by his seat, completely surrounded by women from all over Beacon Academy, screaming his name like rabid fan girls, shouting about how cool he is and such while the boy dealt with them using the ol' Arc family charm.

Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, and all of team RWBY stood by the doorway, watching with utter disbelief at Juan's newfound popularity with the ladies, and subsequent unpopularity with the boys. Yang had to rub her eyes just to make sure that she wasn't seeing the whole thing wrong.

"Okay, now I'm certain that this is a dream." Yang muttered. "A weird dream caused by that out of date vegetarian burrito I ate yesterday. I'm gonna wake up any moment now, lying in bed, dressed in my pj's with drool dribbling down the side of my mouth."

"Funny, I didn't realize that your dream looked so much like reality." Blake quipped. "Guess you're gonna have to suck it up, Yang. This is really happening."

"Huh, that's not something you see everyday." said Ren as he observed his friend's new group of ravenous admirers.

"Yeah, he works fast." Nora added. "Hey Juan! How're you doing down there!" she shouted.

"Just fine, Nora! Thank you for asking!" Juan shouted back with a million dollar smile adorned on his face before turning to face everyone else. "Ladies, ladies! There is plenty of Juan to go around! Please, control yourselves! Hey, you! Keep your shirt on! Class is about to start!"

Meanwhile, Professor Port sat in chair with a content smile on his face, sipping on his hot cup of tea as he prepared himself for today's lecture. All while nodding at Juan with a reminiscent look in his eyes.

"Ah, youth." said Port, taking another long sip of his tea. "How quaint."


	4. Start of a Juan-derful Week

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juan's week begins, much to Pyrrha's detriment.

The sun steadily rose along the edge of the horizon, basking the whole of Remnant in a warm orange glow, signalling the start of a brand new day. The dawn's early light crept through the blinds of team JNPR's dorm room, slowly trickling in until its gentle beams cascaded across the sleeping form of Pyrrha Nikos, causing her to stir in her slumber.

Fluttering her eyes open, Pyrrha awoke refreshed and revitalized, ready to tackle another new day at Beacon academy. Though as refreshed as she felt, her appearance was a lot to be desired. She laid in her bed with eyes still half lidded, her crimson hair messy and strewn all over the place, and her breath, yikes, don't even get started on her morning breath.

With a long yawn and a brief stretch, Pyrrha rose from her bed, brushing away the stray strands of hair obscuring her vision. It was still fairly early, but this just gave her more time to get ready for school, so she shouldn't bother her roommates. Yet, before she could go brush her teeth, a wayward thought crossed her mind, nagging her that she was suppose to remember something rather important. But what was it?

"Hmm... Did I leave my books in one of the classroom?" Pyrrha thought, scratching her head. She turned her head over to her bag, her books were still there, so it wasn't that. She tried to remember everything that happened yesterday, but for some odd reason it was all a blur to her. It wasn't until her eyes glanced over Jaune's empty bed did the important memory came crashing down on her like a ton of bricks.

" _Jaune_..." Pyrrha whispered, bringing a hand to her mouth. "It was just a dream. Juan doesn't exist..." She mumbled beneath her breath. Her eyes widened considerably when her own words finally sank in, and her lips curled into a large smile. "It was just a dream! Juan doesn't exist!" she shouted at the top of her lungs as she hopped out of bed, only to trip and fall onto her face, landing with a loud thud. "Ouch!" she cried out in pain.

Picking herself up the ground, she rubbed at her cheeks to alleviate the pain and noticed that she accidentally woke up Nora.

"Whoa, girlfriend. Where's the fire?" Nora asked sleepily. Without warning, Nora was pulled into a surprisingly strong hug by Pyrrha.

"Oh, Nora! You wouldn't believe the dream I had." said Pyrrha.

"Pfft, you wouldn't believe the dream that  _I_  had." Nora replied with a soft chuckle. "I was dreaming that I was a magical fairy living in the emerald forest and I had to stop the evil corporations from chopping down all the trees just so snooty rich people can have an abundant supply of toothpicks with which they use for their hors d'oeuvres"

"Huh." Pyrrha blinked. "You're right, I don't believe that."

"So what was your dream about?" Nora asked.

"Well, it was about..." Pyrrha trailed off upon hearing music faintly emanating from nearby. It was a nice, gentle tune, expertly played with a guitar. As the music grew louder, Pyrrha noted that the song was being played in a certain style. It was fast, it was rhythmic, it was passionate. It sounded just like...  _flamenco_. Pyrrha's heart stilled and her mouth went dry. There was only one person she knew who owned a guitar here.

"Pyrrha? What's wrong?" Nora waved her hand in front of Pyrrha's terrified face. "What about your dream?"

Pyrrha didn't hear Nora. She could only hear the sound of beautiful flamenco music slowly growing louder and louder with each waking second.

"No..." Pyrrha whispered.

"What?" Nora looked at her friend as she slowly began to freak out.

"No, no, no, no, no..." Pyrrha muttered over and over again, shrinking to the floor.

Finally, when the music was at its loudest, the song stopped, and all sound disappeared from the room. With a shake, the knob to the door began to turn, and in stepped not Jaune, but Juan.

"Ah, buenos dias, mi amor." Juan smiled warmly at Pyrrha. "I take it you slept well?" He asked, setting his guitar down to the side.

"I-uh... y-yes. Yes I did." Pyrrha answered to the best of her abilities, which at the moment, wasn't really saying much.

"Good, good." Juan sat upon his bed. "You know, we were all worried when you fainted like that." Pyrrha gave Juan an odd look.

"I... fainted?" Now that she thought about it, her memories did stop short around the time she went to attend Professor Port's class and seeing Juan surrounded by all those wome- oh. That's right. The mere sight of Juan flocked by his ravenous admirers made her brain shut down. It was like a defense mechanism being triggered to spare her the pain of bearing witness such a heart crushing thing.

"Si." Juan nodded. "You suddenly passed out when you entered the classroom. Luckily, I noticed immediately and whisked you away before you could hit the floor." Pyrrha blushed heavily at his words.

"Y-you did?"

"Yeah, he did!" Nora exclaimed, her usual energy having returned once the sleepiness faded away. "You should've seen him! When you fell over he practically sprinted to you and held you carefully in his arms like a piece of fine china! He was so charming, and you should've seen the way all of the other girls were glaring at your unconscious body."

"I can only imagine." Pyrrha sweatdropped.

"You wanna know what happened afterwards?" Nora continued. "It was so romantic! As you were cradled in his arms, he swept you up bridal style and carried you all the way back to the dorm, where he tucked you into bed to rest. Which is why you're still dressed in your school uniform." Nora pointed out. Pyrrha looked down at herself, it was true, she was still dressed in her school uniform. Strange.

"Huh, so I am." Pyrrha tried to stand up with wobbly legs. "What about classes? Did I miss out on the whole day?"

"You have nothing to worry about. Juan, Ren and I all got you excused from the lessons since you passed out. Plus, Juan was nice enough to take all the notes you need from yesterday."

"How thoughtful of him..." Pyrrha mumbled, turning to face Juan. "Speaking of which, what are you doing up so early, Juan?"

"Oh, me? I got up early to practice my guitar skills, and so that I can watch the sunset." said Juan. "Seeing the extravagant red sky of the early morn reminds me of you." He winked at Pyrrha, causing her to turn redder as than a sunburned tomato.

"Juan! Easy on the compliments, tiger." Nora interjected. "She might pass out again."

"No, no. It's fine, Nora. I'm f-fine" Pyrrha looked away, desperately trying to hide her face. "T-thank you, Juan, for helping me out. There aren't a lot of guys like that nowadays."

"A lot of guys aren't nearly as passionate as I am." Juan stated.

"Yes. Well, okay..." Pyrrha idly twiddled her thumbs. "Um, I think I hear my toothbrush calling me. Please excuse me!" Without another word, Pyrrha turned and ran straight into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her as she did so. Leaving behind two very confused individuals in her wake.

"...Ugh..." Ren grumbled from beneath the sheets. "Can you all please keep it down, I'm trying to sleep here..."

* * *

Team JNPR's walk towards class was quite the awkward experience. While everything appeared normal on the surface, with Pyrrha, Juan, Ren, and Nora all grouped together and chatting amongst themselves, the not so subtle collective ball of perky female admirers trailing their little group a good ten feet away more than attracted a few pairs of scornful, intrigued, and envious eyes.

Pyrrha shuffled uncomfortably with each step, the feeling of unease was wrapped around her and tightened like a straight jacket that was two sizes too small. She could feel the eyes of Juan's admirers boring into her back, jealousy infused glares that were so palpable they might as well be casting stones at her. Plus, Juan as so close to her. They were practically rubbing elbows with each other.

"What's wrong, my beautiful dahlia?" Juan asked concernedly, reaching out to Pyrrha "Are you not feeling well again? If you are then I ca-"

"No!" Pyrrha accidentally shouted, frantically shambling away from Juan. "Sorry about that, but I'm fine! See? Healthy as can be, heh heh..." She subconsciously kept her distance from Juan. "Please, don't touch me."

She mentally kicked herself. Why on this earth was she acting like this? Ever since Juan spoke to her with a voice so sweet, the powerful warrior had been reduced to a helpless kitten. All she had to do was put up with Juan for one week, just one. She couldn't even talk to the man without stuttering, or involuntarily shouting, much less be in the same space as he was. Was this how it felt like to be Jaune? To feel powerless, even when others try to say you aren't?

"Why? Have I done something to offend you, Pyrrha, mi amor?" He asked, his chipper mood sunk a little.

The hurt tone in his voice stabbed at Pyrrha's heart, and served to fuel the silent fury of his admirers from behind. She didn't purposely want to come off sounding cold or insensitive, but she just couldn't stand looking at Juan and seeing Jaune all the time. He was a constant reminder of what she had done to make him that way. Even if she didn't directly hypnotized him, she might as well have been the one who held the hypno ring.

"No, no. Not at all." Pyrrha spoke rapidly. "I just need my space."

"Was this because of yesterday?" Juan pressed. "I apologize if I came on too strongly, I just cannot contain my burning passion for you." He confessed from the bottom of his heart. Pyrrha blushed profusely again. "I will respect your wishes and give you your space. All I ask in return is a proper answer from you in the near future."

"An answer? An answer for what?" Pyrrha asked, although she had an inkling feeling for what it was.

"I want to know if you would be my woman, and I, your man. I will wait for you, until then" Juan replied with a soft smile. Pyrrha gulped. She was right about that feeling. Though if it was any consolation for her, Juan appeared to be a faithful individual, despite his prevalent playboy nature and passionate personality.

The sound of weapons being drawn and firearms being loaded noisily rattled from behind. Pyrrha hesitantly turned her head, visibly paling at the angry and enraged faces of Juan's entourage. The girls were packing enough firepower to level a small continent. She'd have to watch her back before the week is over, lest she get jumped by the horde.

"Yes, sure!" Pyrrha responded speedily before grabbing onto Ren's arm and swinging him over to her other side, sandwiching the poor boy in between her and Juan. "Here, talk to Ren!" Swiftly, Pyrrha made her way beside Nora, who just had a sly smile plastered on her face. "Not. One. Word." She groaned.

"Then how about five?" Nora waggled her eyebrow. "Hurry up and kiss already!"

"No, Nora." Pyrrha sighed.

"Why not? He's clearly into you."

"Thank you for pointing it out, Captain Obvious."

"Nah, captain doesn't suit me. Try Admiral Obvious." Nora grinned. "Seriously though, tackle him to the ground when you two are alone and start getting it on! You know you want him." She taunted.

"And what about them?" Pyrrha pointed back. "Do you want me to die young?"

"Hey, at least it's one heck of a way to go out." Nora shrugged.

"I don't think that's how I want to be remembered after death." Pyrrha deadpanned.

"Oh, I see." Nora nodded in understanding. "You want to be remembered as Mrs. Arc. Loving wife to the handsome Mr. Arc, proud mother of their twenty three beautiful children, with another pair of twins on the way." Nora teased.

"Nora, please stop." Pyrrha begged. "Do you want me to pass out again? Especially if I'm going to bear twenty five children?"

"I don't doubt that you can do it." Nora nudged at her friend "I mean, look at them childbearing hips. I'd say you'll still retain your figure even after giving birth to a whole litter of babies, and then some."

"Nora..."

"Alright, alright." Nora eased off. "But don't leave the guy hanging forever. He might move on to the competition."

"Oh, I don't have to worry about that."

"Really? Then that means I can say this." Nora took in a deep breath. " _What could possibly go wrong_?"

"...Nora..." Pyrrha muttered.

"What could possible go wrong?" Nora repeated.

"Nora. Nora, stop"

"What could possibly go wrong?" Nora repeated once more.

"Nora, stop it. Stop tempting fate."

"Do you hear me up there mister Murphy? What could possibly go wrong?"

As Nora the foolish daredevil spat at fate in the mouth, much to Pyrrha's dismay, Ren and Juan were having a small conversation of their own.

"Say, Juan. I have a question I've been meaning to ask you." said Ren.

"Shoot my calm and reserved amigo." said Juan.

"Are we going to have to deal with that," Ren pointed back," from now on?"

"Mmhmm." Juan curtly replied.

"Great..." Ren groaned.

* * *

Dr. Oobleck was currently in the middle of lecture. His mouth was moving at the speed of sound, spouting out statement after statement in rapid succession, stopping only briefly to take a curt sip of coffee from his plain white mug.

The spastic man darted from one end of the room to the other every few seconds, forcing the students who actually wanted to pay attention in class to track his blurry movements all over the place. It was just another normal day in Oobleck's class, save for one minor detail.

"...And that is why humanity is the true monster." Oobleck concluded, turning to face his students. "Now, are there any questions?" He noticed a hand being raised. "Yes! Miss Long, ask away!"

"Um, this isn't actually a question about the lecture." said Yang.

"Well, go on then. What is it that you need? A restroom break? A trip to the nurse's office?" Dr. Oobleck asked.

"It's just, uh... do you allow that in your classroom?" Yang asked, pointing to Juan who was sitting on the opposite end of the room. He was the only guy there, while every other seat was filled with girls who were all staring at him like he was a priceless work of art, occasionally letting out a dreamy sigh every so often.

"Hmm, that is a good question. Do I allow that?" Dr. Oobleck shouted to the boy. "Mr. Arc!"

"Si, doctor?" Juan replied.

"DId you take any notes?"

"Si" Juan raised his notebook up, showing the doctor his notes.

"Good!" Oobleck shouted to the girls. "Ladies! Did you all take notes?" As if on cue, every girl there raised up their notebooks. The pages exhibited exemplary note taking habits. Everything was neatly organized, legible, and provided an adequate amount of information.

"Excellent! Carry on everyone." he turned back to the board. "Well, I see no problem with this. Now, where was I. Ah, yes. Everyone, please turn to page two hundred and thirty seven of your textbooks. Here we'll talk about..."

* * *

Lunch time eventually came around, and team RWBY and JNPR met up together as per usual, with the sole exception of Juan who decided that lunch time would be a good time to serenade the ladies with his prodigal guitar skills. With skillful plucks of his guitar, Juan sends his entourage, and nearly everyone else in the cafeteria, on a euphoric trip of musical nirvana.

Sitting across from him on a separate table, his friends all watched with wide eyes as the girls nearby got a bit touchy with the blonde bachelor, not that he minded, of course. Their hands were gliding across the boy, grabbing whatever they could but in a way that wouldn't interrupt his playing. There was always that constant terror, however, of watching that their hands might go south of the border and...

"It's official, the world has gone mad." Yang looked away, planting her head down on the table. "Isn't anyone else bothered by how much of a one eighty vomit boy pulled overnight? I mean look at the guy. He's like a cross between a casanova and womanizer."

"I'm pretty sure only the guys are since he pretty stole all the girls from right under them." said Ruby. "Other than that, everyone else seems to like Juan."

"Well, I don't." Yang muttered, causing Ruby to gasped an exaggerated gasp. "There, I said it."

"Why not? He's such a cool person now. Not that I'm saying he wasn't before..."

"Oh, ye of little knowledge. I know what he's up to. It's so obvious. I'm surprise that none of you have seen through his facade yet." Yang stated, earning a few raised eyebrows in return.

"Oh, really. Why don't you enlighten us then?" said Blake.

"Yeah, talk." said Ruby.

"This should be interesting." Ren added.

" _He trying to make me jealous_." Yang stated as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"...What?" Everyone spoke in unison.

"Think about it. The suave change in personality, the number of women trailing him, the flirting session with Pyrrha yesterday. He was trying to make me jealous so that I'd fall for him." said Yang, nodding her head like she's got it all figured out. "Even now he's trying to woo me with that music of his, while being surrounded by all of those women who wish they were me. It's all part of his game. A game that he thinks I'll just play along like an obedient little girl."

"Aren't you over thinking this?" Blake asked.

"Yeah, Pyrrha's the girl that Juan's gunning for." Nora added. "Didn't you see the way he rushed to her safety yesterday?"

"I'm sure he'd do that for any girl, cept maybe Weiss for some cosmic reason beyond my mortal understanding." said Yang.

"Hey!" Weiss snarled, but her voice went unheard.

"Sorry, miss cereal box. But I'm pretty sure that Juan wants me, and he's pulling out all the stops just to do it." Yang concluded with arms folded, and her head held high.

"You're delusional if you think he wants you." Weiss spoke up. "He's doing this because of me. This is all a plan to get  _me_  jealous. Not you. He's done with the direct approach and is trying to seduce me mentally. Honestly, why on earth would he want such a brash and unrefined bimbo like you?"

"How about because I'm twenty different kinds of awesome, with a dash of kick-ass for good measure." Yang taunted. "Face it, Weiss. He just isn't into you anymore. He's move on to  _bigger_  and  _better_  things. And I fit the profile down to a T." She puffed out her voluminous chest proudly. "Hmph, beat that."

"Oh, don't even go there you pneumatic tramp!" Weiss snapped. "I'll have you know that I..."

Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, Ruby, and Blake ignored the two girls as they went back and forth with their heated argument. From the sound of things, it looked like Weiss was losing. However, their groups shrank again, and so they decided to continued the conversation amongst whoever was left.

"Well, it looks like my observation was right. Pay up, Ruby." said Blake with a subtle, almost nonexistent smirk gracing her lips.

"Darn it, I was sure she'd last longer than that. You hustled me." Ruby grumbled as she slapped a handful of lin onto Blake's outstretched palm.

"Thank you very much." Blake pocketed her hustled cash. "Pleasure doing business with you, Ruby."

"What was that all about?" Pyrrha asked.

"Ruby and I made a bet yesterday to see if Weiss would crack under pressure without Jaune's attention." said Blake. "You see, I made an observation yesterday about Weiss's unusual behavior when Juan blew her off. As it turns out she misses him drooling all over her. It's like a psychological thing. Although she mistakes that as budding affection for the boy, it's not actually that at all."

"But we won't tell her that." Ruby grin mischievously.

"And, Yang?" said Pyrrha.

"Eh, let my sister have her moment." Ruby chuckled. "Don't worry though. I'm with you all the way, Pyrrha!" She flashed a thumbs up.

"And so am I!" Nora joined in.

"I honestly don't know how that makes me feel." Pyrrha droned, picking at her food.

"Aren't you afraid Juan's just stringing you along?" Blake asked. "He has nearly every girl in school under his thumb. If you buy into all that talk of his you'd just be another one in his harem."

"He  _does not_  have a harem!" Pyrrha denied strongly, accidentally snapping the fork in her hand clean in two, causing everyone to reel back in surprise.

"Right, harem's not the right word to use. Ahem" Blake clear her throat. "What I meant to say was, you'd just be another of the girls following him. It just doesn't seem to work out, you know?"

"I... just know, okay." Pyrrha sighed. "I can just feel it. Past all the women orbiting around him, past his bold, confident personality, underneath the skin, he is a man who just wants to be with the woman he loves. Everything else is just the world reacting to his unprecedented charisma."

"I'm not sure how that excuses his promiscuous behavior." Blake didn't sound convinced.

"And I'm not sure if I want to keep talking about Juan." Pyrrha spoke through gritted teeth. "Can we please change the subject?"

"If talking about Juan is stressing you out, then sure." Blake nodded.

"Thank you, Blake." Pyrrha let her tense shoulders go slack. "Sorry for sounding so strained. You have no idea how much this has been riding on my mind."

"I'll say, you two are just like the character out of my favorite novel." Blake softly giggled. "Love can make people do really stupid things."

"You can say that again." Pyrrha giggled back.

"Ugh, you're not talking about that paperweight you call a good story?" Ruby rudely cut the two off. "Captain Underpants is the best story of all time,  _ever_ , period!"

"Ruby, Captain Underpants is a toilet book." Blake retorted. "It's what people put by the john to occupy themselves when they do their business. The writing is childish, the jokes are immature, and Dav Pilkey is a hack." Ruby gasped another exaggerated gasp.

"Blasphemy!" Ruby yelled. "At least I can go out and buy my book in broad daylight without having to snoop around like some kind of shady back alley ruffian!"

"I take offense to that!" Blake turned serious. "Society doesn't understand the layered complexity that Ninjas of Love has to show! People today are only interested in literature that involve completely inappropriate jokes about urine and fecal matter!"

"Ha!" Ruby jumped up. "So you admit that people like  _Professor Pippy Pee-Pee Poopypants_  as a character better than that one dimensional brooding emo ninja protagonist of yours!"

"I admit to no such thing!" Blake roared. "The only thing that I'll admit to is that your book belongs in the toilet!"

"Oh, yeah! Well yours is better off as Professor Ozpin's doorstopper!"

" _Toilet book!_ " Blake shouted.

" _Paperweight!_ " Ruby yelled. The two growled at each other like feral cats who just stepped into each other territory. Sparks were beginning to form, until Ren brought them back to earth.

"Hey, Juan's coming this way." said Ren.

Just like he said, Juan began to walk by, his hands still gripped on his guitar while all the girls urged for him to return to his seat. Regardless, he continued forth, flashing his friends a bright smile, and an especially warm one towards Pyrrha.

"So what do you guys think of my playing?" Juan asked.

"It's great!" Ruby cheered. "You're a natural."

"That's something that I can concur with Ruby." Blake commented, whispering 'toilet book' beneath her breath shortly after.

"It was an enjoyable experience." replied Ren. "Although your chords do need a bit of wor-" Ren stopped short upon seeing the heated glares he was receiving from Juan's entourage.

"Continuar, I could use some constructive criticism." said Juan.

"Your chords are fine." Ren gulped.

"Ah, I see then." Juan turned to Yang. "What do you think, Yang?"

"Oh, no. I see what you're trying to do, and it ain't going to work." said Yang. "You think you've got me figured out, but I am an enigma! My mind is a steel cage that cannot be broken!"

"Que?" Juan looked perplexed.

"Don't you ' _kay_ ' me. I won't throw myself at you just because you can pluck a few strings. I'm not that easy." Yang turned away, glancing over her shoulder to make sure that her message was clear. Juan shrugged and leaned towards Ren.

"Did I miss something?" He asked.

"Just let her believe what she wants." said Ren. "It's better than trying to give her a logical explanation. Takes less effort."

"Um, I see." Juan was still confused, but he didn't let it get to him. "Anyway, I was working on a song earlier, I thought you'd all like to hear it."

"Ooh! Dinner and a show!" Nora piped up. "Come on, show us whatcha got!"

"Alright. Here goes." Juan plucked a few strings, thrumming a strong melody through the air. "This song is dedicated to my beautiful dahlia. May her petals never wilt as the years go by." He stated, causing Pyrrha to blush. "Ahem, this song is called: _Love Machine_."

Juan started off the song with a fast and powerful intro that was oozing with hispanic flair. Yet at the height of the bridge, he suddenly stopped and began to play slowly. His fingers skillfully plucked each string in a precise and measured method, in a way reminiscent of an artist painting with his brush. When the tone began flowing like water, he began to sing in the most melodious voice that they've ever heard.

* * *

_I'm just a love machine, and I won't work for nobody but you_

_I only work for you, baby, yeah_

_My voltage regulator cools, when I taxi next to you_

_Electricity starts to flow, and my indicator starts to glow_

_Ooooh! I'm just a love machine, and I won't work for nobody..._

_But you._

* * *

"It's a little short, but it's a work in progress. So, what do you all think? Bueno? Malo?" Juan asked, setting his guitar down. He gauged his friend's reactions, but nobody said anything. Juan grew nervous, was the song that bad? Maybe they were stuck in shock.

"..." Ruby stared at Juan before opening her mouth to speak. "Juan, why are you at Beacon Academy again?"


	5. Watch Your Back, Pyrrha Nikos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pyrrha unwinds and learns that being Juan's object of affection has its drawbacks.

School had just ended, and Pyrrha couldn't be any more happier. It gave her time away from Juan. The moment class ended, Pyrrha packed up her things, said her farewells to her friends and ran straight to Beacon's practice rooms.

The arena could be considered a home away from home for someone like Pyrrha. It was practically where she was raised for a better portion of her childhood. The sounds of swords clattering upon a shield was nearly akin to hearing breakfast being cooked in them morning for her. This was only one of the reasons as to why she was having such a great time practicing today.

Feeling like she's been lagging behind in her training, Pyrrha cranked up the practice room's setting to max and patiently awaited for her opponents to appear. Drones came out by the droves, each programmed with a singular purpose; to make her life a living hell if she makes so much as one mistake. Fortunately, that wasn't the case for Pyrrha.

With milo and akoug firmly grasped in her hands, she began to paint a picture of pain using motor oil, smoking circuits and broken machinery.

"Hyah!" she let loose a wild war cry as she ran towards her mechanical opposition. Almost immediately, several drones circled around her, trapping her in a ring of iron. Moving in, they all attacked at once from many different angles, successfully limiting her range of movement and combat option. But Pyrrha was left unfazed. "Pfft, too easy."

Extending milo into its spear form, she twirled her weapon with blinding speed and vaulted off of the ground like an olympic athlete, firing it to propel herself even further into the air. Like a speeding bullet of crimson and bronze, she landed a mighty kick upon her aggressors, breaking their nigh impenetrable formation and effectively scattering them across the room like sand caught in the wind.

As she fell to earth, reinforcements arrived and threatened to take her out for the sky. Two sets of drones sortied from out of their chambers, one set was armed with pneumatic weapons, loaded with non lethal rubber rounds, while the others carried a wide assort of melee weapons ranging from blunt swords, flails, tonfas, and much, much more. The drones were prepared for any form of retaliation that may come.

Readying their weapons, the ranged drones fired the first volley of rubber rounds. Hastily equipping akoug, Pyrrha angled herself mid air so that her entire profile would be covered by her small shield. She winced as the rounds collided with her shield but the adrenaline rush she felt coursing through her veins numbed the pain. The rounds may have been non lethal, but they were fired with enough pressure to blast a hole through a barn wall from one end to the other.

As the drones took their time preparing for the second volley, she unfold milo into its rifle form and began to pick off targets from afar. With speed, grace and accuracy that would Annie Oakley blush, Pyrrha demonstrates her riflewomen skills by landing nearly every shot dead center on the drones external control box, shutting them down with the least amount of effort.

Before she could even hit the ground, however, the second wave of drones already reached her drop point, and they all brandished their weapons for her to see. One drone, wielding a trident, thrusted his weapon upward in an attempt to skewer the girl. Reaching for akoug again, she flipped up and over, planting the shield by her feet. When he she landed, she hit the narrow edge of the trident's tips with her shield and began to safely slide down along the haft.

Upon reaching the end of the haft, she delivered a powerful panther punt to the drone's head, separating it from its body and rocketing through the air where it bashed another poor drone in the chest area, leaving one heck of an imprint behind. With a leap, she hopped over the horde with milo and akoug in tow, tucking and rolling until she could regain her footing and assumed a proper spartan fighting stance, shields up with her trusty spear at the ready.

In one final charge, the horde of drones came down upon Pyrrha like steel rain. Fearsome, unwavering, relentless. The smell of smoke emanating from the sparking bits of the damaged drones wafted through the air, flowing to the breeze of the charging drones, signaling a calm before the storm.

Pyrrha smirked at her aggressors, and then proceeded to put the finishing touches on her painting. The drones never knew what hit them, before they could even connect their first hit, Pyrrha swiftly dodged the blow and landed piercing strike that impaled the robot straight through. As she ripped the spear out, bits of metal and loose bolts crumbled out from the gaping hole in the robot's chest before bleeding out oil.

Not letting up, Pyrrha continued on with her raid, dodging, striking, rinse and repeat. Nothing too fancy, but the effectiveness of the basic attack spoke volumes of her skill and the number of defeated drones that were piling up.

To add a bit of flourish to her painting, she reeled her shield arm backwards, gripped akoug, and hurled it towards her foes, conking each drone and ricocheting off of them in succession through a fanciful display of gladiatorial combat, ending with akoug being embedded into the nearby wall.

When all was said and done, only one remained. If machinery could fear, this one did. Whether it was because it was damaged from the shield slash, or because of a malfunction in its programming, the drone was shaking uncontrollably before Pyrrha like an infant whose hopped up on too much sugar. Slowly, Pyrrha approached the drone with milo in hand, prepared to execute a coup de grace and put the poor thing out of its misery.

" **BOOM!** "

But the drone decided to save Pyrrha the trouble instead.

"Aw, spoilsport." Pyrrha frowned. But the frown did not last. Using her semblance, she pulled akoug back to her and sheathed both her weapons, a grin slowly forming on her face as she did so. "Ah, it feels good to stretch the limbs after such a long time."

"Excellent performance as always, miss Nikos." A voice spoke from the observation deck. Pyrrha turned to the voice and saw that it was Professor Ozpin who speaking to her. "But please do try to refrain yourself from completely destroying the training drones. We may be a prestigious academy, but even Beacon is hampered by the occasional funding issues. I can't keep diverting money for drone repairs all the time, you know?"

"Heh, heh. Sorry about that, Professor Ozpin." Pyrrha chuckled. "I just wanted to unwind a bit. I've had a rough day."

"It wouldn't have anything to do with the recent burst in popularity regarding your leader, would it?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"It's kind of hard not to take notice to mister Arc now that he's acquired himself a cult of personality. And seeing how ruthlessly you tackled the drones, I'd wager the boy's been weighing heavily on your mind lately."

"As perceptive as always professor."

"My advice for you miss Nikos; keep him close, but keep your enemies closer."

"Huh?" Pyrrha looked perplexed. "But I don't have any enemies."

"Oh, don't you?" Ozpin asked, a small smile forming on his lips. "Nonetheless, I wish you a good day. And if you see miss Goodwitch, can you tell her that I need to speak with her? I haven't seen her all day, how strange." With that, he turned around and left, leaving Pyrrha alone to mull on his words.

* * *

"I don't have any enemies, do I?" Pyrrha thought as she put her gear away. She tried to remember if she had done anything wrong to earn someone's hate, or if she's offended someone without her knowing it. Nothing came to mind, the closest thing that did would be everyone from team CDRL. But in all honesty, she believed that those jerks deserved the beatdown she gave them. It was a long time coming.

"Well, I can't think of any." Pyrrha concluded. Once her gear was safely locked away in her locker, she began to change out of her armor to take a quick shower in the washroom. She was still covered in oil from the fight, and it was starting to drip down all the wrong places. She was starting to regret ripping those drones apart.

Before she could even begin to trip to the showers, a metal throwing star zipped right by her, barely grazing her cheek and embedding itself into one of the lockers nearby. Pyrrha jumped back in surprise, spinning around to try and find the perpetrator, yet there was no one in the locker room but her. She examined the star that nearly gave her a nasty scar. Tied onto to the star was a note that read:

**NOTICE ME, JUAN!**

"What?" Pyrrha whispered. Not long after she read the note, a throwing knife zipped by her and stuck itself next to the star. There was also a note tied to it.

**JUAN! PLEASE GO OUT WITH ME!**

"Um..." Pyrrha gasped when yet another projectile missed her, this time it was an arrow. Lo and behold there was also a note tied to it.

**PLEASE IGNORE THOSE LAST TWO NOTES,**

**YOU BETTER WATCH YOUR BACK PYRRHA NIKOS**

"Huh, so that's what Ozpin meant." Now she understood, and she had a pretty good idea of who she made enemies with. Scuttling away into the washroom, she took her shower as fast as she could, scrubbed away the oil, dried herself off and then bolted away from the scene at lightning speeds with her hastily tied shoes lagging behind in strings. "I have enough problems with Juan as it is. The last thing I need is to get jumped by jealous classmates..."

* * *

Pyrrha sprinted across the campus, racing the sun as it began setting below the horizon and basking Remnant in vulnerable darkness. People have called her out, and she isn't safe unless she was on the move. She performed a double take every thirty paces, and made sure that her blind spot wasn't obscured by anything.

She let out a sigh of relief upon reaching her dormitory building, and promptly made a beeline to her room when she noticed that there was a loud commotion going on. Focusing her hearing on the sound, it sounded like cheering, and it appeared to be emanating from her own dorm room. With cautious steps, she sneaked her way towards the sound, making sure that there was no one behind her.

When she reached the corner that rounded by the hall, she peered over the corner and observed the commotion. There was a mass of screaming and cheering women overflowing from her room. She recognized them immediately as Juan's entourage, and that they were waving around signs with Juan's name painted on them.

"They have signs now, how wonderful..." Pyrrha muttered beneath her breath,

"Hi, Pyrrha."

"Yah!" Pyrrha yelped, turned around, grabbed her assailant and pinned them against the wall while bending their arms inward. "Friend or foe?"

"Owie! Ow! Ouch! Friend! Definitely friend!" Ruby cried out in pain as she struggled under Pyrrha's grip.

"Ruby?" Pyrrha let go. "Don't sneak up on me like that. I could've hurt you."

"I wasn't sneaking up on you." Ruby argued. "You were the one who was hiding behind the wall like a thief. Why are you so jumpy?"

"Because I'm being targeted."

"Targeted? Targeted by who?" Ruby asked.

"Who do you think?" Pyrrha grabbed Ruby by the wrist and pulled her over to watch the group crowding the the doorway of her dorm. "Juan's admirers have put a hit out on me. They probably don't like that I'm the object of his desires."

"Really? Well that's awesome!" Ruby grinned. "It's a battle for love, and you gotta fight to protect your man!"

"It is most definitely not awesome!" Pyrrha whispered back.

"Oh, come on. I'm sure the threats are hollow." Ruby waved it off. "Do they honestly think that they can take you on when you're fighting for the man you love? Love conquers all!"

"By that logic, the combined love of Juan's admirers are going to put me in a shallow grave before the week is over." Pyrrha deadpanned.

"When you put it that way, maybe you could use some help." Ruby offered. "I'll go distract the group so that you can have your dorm back."

"That would be very appreciated, Ruby." Pyrrha nodded. "Go on."

"Alright, see you in a few." Ruby then strolled towards the ball of admirers, taking her time to fully understand the situation. As she approached, she could hear the sound of music radiating from within the room. It was the same type of music that Juan was playing earlier today. "So that's why everyone's here. Juan's playing his guitar again. Sweet! We have a private concert going on."

As much as she would love to stay and hear the music, she promised to help Pyrrha with her dilemma, and Ruby Rose always follows through with her promise. She was ready to chase the crowd out of the hallway. She opened her mouth to shout, only to take notice to a very familiar woman amongst the rabble. One who looking suspiciously like,

"Ms. Goodwitch?" Ruby asked.

"Huh?" Ms. Goodwitch froze in place upon being addressed. Turning around slowly, the strict school mistress came face to face with her student, who looked back at her with a bewildered expression. Held in her hands was a sign that read ' **I want you to see me after class, mister Arc** '. Her cheeks turned red in embarrassment from the stare and slack jaw that Ruby was projecting to her. "O-oh! Um, uh..."

"So, uh... watcha doooing?" Ruby asked awkwardly.

"Oh, this?" Ms. Goodwitch panicked. "This is, uh, um... you see..." She fumbled with her words before coming up with an excellent solution. "Miss Ruby Rose!" Goodwitch boomed as she entered her strict teacher mindset, staring down the now terrified girl with such vehemence that it could stop a raging king taiju in its tracks. "What are you doing out of class?"

"Ah! I'm sorry!" Ruby cowered before the towering school mistress. "Please don't yell at me, I'll be good!"

"Then return to class immediately!" Goodwitch commanded. "What are you waiting for? An invitation? March, young lady!"

Without a moment of hesitation, Ruby darted away from the scene, her heart pounding in and out of her chest as primal fear drove her to find the nearest classroom so that she can plant her tush down onto a seat as to not get scolded again. Pyrrha, who was watching from afar, face palmed herself. There goes her hopes of entering her room.

Meanwhile, Ms. Goodwitch, feeling that her image and reputation was in jeopardy, decided to leave. Rounding about the corner, however, she stumbled onto Pyrrha who offered her the same expression as Ruby.

"H-hi." Pyrrha cracked a weak grin.

"M-miss nikos?" Goodwitch stuttered. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh, Professor Ozpin was looking for you. He asked me to tell you that he needs to speak to you about something."

"I see. Thank you for telling me." Ms. Goodwitch nodded and left almost immediately, leaving Pyrrha alone in the hallways once more with her hostile classmates.

It'll be another half hour before Pyrrha could finally return to her room without running into trouble, and it'll be at least another four before Ruby realized that she'd been fooled by Ms. Goodwitch...

* * *

"..." Ruby looked around the empty classroom that she was in, still deeply rooted in fear as she stayed in her seat. She glanced by the clock, seeing that it was half past eleven. One minute passed, and then another, and then another before the poor girl finally put two and two together and realized that she had been duped. "Hey, wait a minute!"


	6. In the end, There can only be Juan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The knight and the dragon face off.

Tomorrow came much quicker than anticipated, and before long it was already time for combat class with Ms. Goodwitch again. Today was going to be an interesting one, however, as the matchups for the practice fight pitted the golden dragon, Yang Xiao Long, against the knight of passion, Juan Arc. Who was going to win? At first glance, the answer seemed kind of obvious.

Now, no one was going to say anything, but deep down, despite how cool and suave the new Jaune was, there were still many, many doubts from his peers about his competency with a sword and shield, even with all the extra training he had received from Pyrrha. In fact, the only sword that he probably could use to its fullest potential now was certainly not the one strapped to the side of his hip. Not that the ladies would complain, mind you...

As for Yang, well, she lets her actions speak for themself. She was definitely one tough cookie, with a nasty right hook to her name. Add in her gauntlets, ember celica, and you've got a recipe for a nice piping hot bowl of 'fuck that, I'm outta here' soup, with a side of 'nope' breadsticks. Needless to say, the fight looked very one sided, as it has been all the other time the two have sparred in the past.

* * *

In the locker room where the combatants were preparing themselves, Juan sat with crocea mors rested on his lap, rhythmically grinding a whetstone along its rough edge in a series long, fluid strides. He hummed to himself a tune as he did so, letting the song's cadence guide his hand until his sword was sharp enough to split hairs right down the middle.

When he was satisfied with the results of his work, he sheathed his sword into his shield/scabbard, picked himself up and jauntily strode into the arena where two raging fires shall clash.

* * *

Up on the bleachers sat the students under Ms. Goodwitch's tutelage, and some extra that really shouldn't be there. Among those were the teammates of both competing parties, Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren, who were both eager and worried about the ensuing battle.

Yang was already waiting at the center of the arena, doing some quick stretches to remain limber and loose before she starts throwing punches. The arrogant smirk on her face made it clear that she wasn't going to hold anything back today, especially not to a playboy that was (presumably) trying to seduce her.

"Your sister looks fired up, even though it's just a practice fight." said Blake. "You don't think she might go overboard with the whole thing, do you, Ruby?"

"I certainly hope not." replied Ruby. "But if it does happen, punishment would come crashing down on Yang swifter than Captain Underpants defeating a bad guy." Blake rolled her eyes upon the mention of the obnoxious protagonist of a toilet book.

"What makes you say that?" Weiss chimed in.

"Oh, call it a hunch." Ruby waved dismissively, remaining mindful of Juan's entourage who had showed up despite not having class with them at the time. But since Ms. Goodwitch didn't kick them out by now, she assumed that it was okay for them to be there.

"Shh! Everyone, Juan's coming out!" said Nora, waving around a ' _You're number Juan!_ ' foam finger that she had made specifically for a moment like this. "Whoo! Let's get this show on the road!"

Down on the floor, Yang ceased her stretching and fixed her gaze on the pathway where Juan was to enter. When suddenly, the lights in the room died out, cloaking the arena in blanket of darkness and causing nearly everyone to yelp in surprise.

A few seconds later, a trio of spotlights sprang to life, whirling around frantically before finally converging upon the pathway. Casually strolling in with a cocky strut, Juan revealed himself to the audience and flashed them all a dazzling smile that drove his entourage to scream with wild delight, and some of the guys to scowl at his mere appearance. With swagger, Juan slowly approached Yang until they were mere feet apart.

"Kept you waiting, huh?" said Juan, snapping Yang out of her bewilderment. Yang stared at the man standing before her. She had expected for him to be at least a little nervous given that he was going up against her, but either she was really bad at reading faces, or Juan truly was as brave as he looked.

"Pretty slick entrance." Yang admitted. "I was beginning to think that you might chicken out on me."

"Me? Miss out on a duel? No." replied Juan. "I'm here to fight, and I am here to win. For the Arc family, and for my beloved,  _Pyrrha_." Upon hearing her name spoken so lovingly, Pyrrha found herself subconsciously blushing again, much to her chagrin.

"I like your newfound determination, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm gonna win." Yang declared haughtily as she cracked her knuckles. "Oh, and don't think even for a second that I forgot what this is really all about. I'm not some pawn in your game, Juan."

"I haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about." Juan stated as a matter o' factly.

"Playing dumb, eh? Well it doesn't matter, you're going down!" Yang assumed her fighting stance.

"Not unless I bring you to your knees first. Which shouldn't prove to be too difficult." Juan grinned lasciviously.

"Yeah, wel- wait... Oh... Oh! I just got that." Yang blushed, but shook it off and promptly began charging straight at Juan, who didn't budge an inch. It was as if he wanted to get hit. "I'll end this in one shot!"

With her gauntlets active, Yang let loose a devastating straight that sent the crowd in a deep silence. Time slowed to a stop as her blazing fist were mere inches away from Juan's still smiling face.

* * *

'Hmph, too easy.' She grinned inwardly, it really was as easy as she remembered it. But at the very last second, whatever solid fleshy object she felt near the tips of her covered knuckles was immediately replaced with air, and a brief afterimage of Juan's face blurring out of view. From out of her peripheral vision, Yang watched in disbelief as Juan spun his way out of her mortal blow, all while keeping his grin plastered on his face.

Yang's reckless strike whiffed badly. She overshot her punch once she realized there was nothing to hit and stumbled forward before losing balance and doubling over. The explosive power from her gauntlets fizzled away, leaving the poor girl in a crumpled heap on the floor. Her world was now upside down, but in her view she could see Juan standing in the center of the arena, striking a flamboyant pose as he cried out,

" _Ole!_ "

Like a seasoned matador going up against the rampaging bull, Juan had masterfully dodged at the very last moment, and somehow managed to turn it into a show in the process. With a flourish of the hand, Juan bowed to the audience as Yang struggled to get back on her feet.

"Whuah? What happened?" Pyrrha asked incredulously. 'I don't remember teaching him that.' She thought.

"Looks like Juan let Yang punch him, only to move himself ever so slightly before the hit could connect cleanly." Ren surmised.

"He let her punch him? On purpose" Weiss scoffed. "He must be crazy."

"Or extremely bold." Blake added.

"Or awesome!" Nora cheered, flailing her foam finger like mad. "Whoo! Keep it up fearless leader! You're number Juan! You're number Juan!"

Back down in the arena, Yang hopped back upright and fixed a glare on Juan. She was impressed, if not annoyed by such an obvious bait. Heck, she knew the guy was smart as a leader but she never expected him to pull a feint like that in the very beginning. Regardless, she brushed away the stray strands of hair obscuring her vision, and went on to begin her onslaught.

She charged once more towards Juan. With his back turned to her, he'll never see it coming. Reeling her hand back to prepare another punch, she leapt forward and aimed straight ahead before throwing her punch. But as her punch touched Juan's clothes, she could feel them being ripped across the skin of her hands as she once again struck open air.

" _Ole!_ " Juan cried again with another pose.

Not letting up, Yang corrected herself and shifted her weight downwards, twisting and pulling a roundhouse kick towards her increasingly annoying opponent. A smug smile formed on her lips as felt her shoes collided with Juan's side, there was no way he could've dodge something like that in time. Forcing more power into her leg, she let her kick glide through cleanly, only to feel a sudden weight press down atop her leg.

To her astonishment, Juan had jumped and positioned his body over herself horizontally, letting the kick strike Juan at a precarious angle and allowing him to slide through the rest of the hit with just a minor graze to his side. Juan slipped out of the air and landed back onto the ground, posing once more and shouting,

" _Ole!_ "

"Alright, I've had enough!" Yang roared and unleashed a flurry of deadly punches and kicks unto Juan. Try as she might however, Juan just dodge, ducked, dipped, dived and dodged his way through every kick and punch thrown at him with a stunning degree of agility, feeling the wind from each blow tickle him with a gentle spring breeze.

" _Ole! Ole! Ole!_ " Juan chanted, and soon he was able to get the crowd to chant with him as well. " _Ole! Ole! Ole!_ "

"Grr... Why aren't my punches hitting you!" she screamed, her eyes flashed crimson red with an aura of flames radiating off her golden mane. "Stay still, dammit!"

"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way senorita." Juan quipped as he dipped underneath a left hook and sidestepped behind her, tapping her lightly on the back before scuttling away from a spinning backfist that nearly took his head off.

"What was that? A tickle?" Yang smirked. However, her smirk faded away into a look of abject terror when she noticed what Juan was dangling off the tip of his index finger. It was big, black, lacy, and had the capacity to cradle two  _cantaloupes_  or any other round object of similar shape and size comfortably in its snug hold.

Panicking, Yang's earlier explosive anger evaporated into embarrassment. Reaching up to her chest, she ran her hands along her shirt, praying to Monty that  _it_  was still there. Her hopes were dashed away when beneath her shirt she felt not the article of clothing meant to uphold her blessed endowments, but rather her own free hanging fleshy mounds instead. She turned red almost immediately.

Back at the bleachers, many students, and Ms. Goodwitch, were utterly baffled by what they just witnessed. Jaws aplenty fell to the floor in rapid succession.

"Did he just?" Blake started, recovering from her shock.

"He did." Pyrrha finished, nodding dumbly.

"How did he..." Ruby gawked with a slacked jaw.

"What an unusual technique." Ren raised his eyebrow.

"Impresionante." Juan commented as he looked over the Yang's bra that he expertly lifted off her body behind a layer of clothing. "Aren't you glad that you won the genetic lottery?"

"That was a dirty move! Give those back!" Yang cried out, having her tough outward self crack to reveal a more sensitive and vulnerable girl.

"Hmm, let me get back to you on that." Juan brought the bra up close to his face and sniffed at it. Inhaling in the scent like a bloodhound tracking prey. If it were possible, Yang blushed even harder by this audacious display. "Ahem, let me guess. Guava scented body wash?"

The very next thing that happened could be best compared to a scene out of a saturday morning cartoon. Yang was furiously chasing Juan around the arena, with one arm wrapped around her chest to prevent her breast from bouncing around as she used her free hand to send explosive blast after explosive blast to her bra thief with extreme prejudice.

"Give it back! Give it back!" Yang shouted as her futile effort to beat down her bra thief dragged on.

"Heh, call me Speedy Gonzales, cause you can't catch me!" Juan taunted back, jumping away from a stray shot from Yang's gauntlets.

It couldn't even be called a fight anymore by this point in time. It was just two people running around, one trying to catch the other and the other trying not to get caught. This display went on for several minutes, back and forth, to and fro like an episode of Tom & Jerry. It was a game of cat and mouse on a similar destructive scale.

* * *

Around the seven minute mark, things began to slow down to a crawl. And Yang, physically exhausted from her chase, collapsed onto her knees, panting as she wiped away the sweat from her brow. Her gauntlets have ran out of ammunition, and she was now a sitting duck, left at the mercy of Juan.

"So, it comes down to this." Juan said as he loomed over Yang. He drew his sword and held it near the base of her neck. "I told you I would win, didn't I?"

"You... you cheated..." Yang spoke in between pants. "I mean, seriously! Who steals a girl's bra in the middle of a fight? Who!?" Juan shrugged.

"I like to think of it as a tactical move on my part." Juan sheathed his sword. "And it worked, didn't it?" He kneeled down and leveled his gaze with Yang's own, offering a hand up on her feet. "No hard feelings, Yang?" Turning her head, Yang spitefully swatted Juan's hand away and huffed to herself.

"Next time, you won't be so lucky lover boy." Yang mumbled.

"Luck had nothing to do with it." Juan held out Yang's black bra. "I take it you probably want this back?"

"Not unless you can pull off that freaky voodoo magic earlier when you stole my bra in the first place to put it back." Yang spoke sarcastically. Unbeknownst to her, when she reached out to take her bra she felt her upper body tightened all of a sudden. She eyed Juan's hand that she was reaching out to and reeled back in surprise when she saw that it was empty. "What the..."

"There we go, all better." Juan dusted his hands off. Yang reach down to her chest again, feeling around her shirt and being rendered speechless when her bra was indeed back where it was supposed to be. She looked up at the boy with wide eyes.

"How did you do that?"

"It's a trade secret." replied Juan.

"Well, this has undoubtedly been a very... unorthodox battle." a voice spoke up. Turning to face the origin of the voice, Yang and Juan could see Ms. Goodwitch walking towards them. "But, by employing unusual tactics and otherwise bizarre techniques, mister Arc has successfully incapacitated miss Xiao Long. For today, Juan is the victor."

And with that announcement, Juan's fangirls exploded into cheers, tossing roses onto the arena and celebrating his victory. Juan bowed to the audience and took in the ovation that he had achieved. He had done what many thought was impossible.

The knight had defeated the dragon.


	7. Just Juan More Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby and Pyrrha reflect on their actions, as Yang's heart beats for another.

Talk of Juan's remarkable, if somewhat unconventional, victory over Yang the day before spread like wildfire. It was the topic of the day, juicy gossip that circulated through every nook and cranny of the campus. You couldn't walk two steps without overhearing someone chatting about how Juan dodged all of Yang's thundering blows effortlessly, or about how he made off with her brassiere like a phantom thief with fast hands and even faster wit.

Despite the popularity of the topic, however, there were still many doubters as there were believers. People either wrote off the impossible victory as exaggerated rumors, or simply chose not to believe it. After all, how could Juan beat Yang so easily? It was like a lone ant fighting a rhinoceros beetle. Not to mention, stealing the girl's bra was a method that only the suicidal or the clinically insane would resort to.

Although, the doubters did begin to question the legitimacy of said fight once they all took notice to a very grumpy Yang, stomping down the hallways and leaving visible shoe-prints behind everywhere she went. They made sure to steer clear of the steaming girl and remained tightlipped about anything that might set her off, especially about her humiliating loss to Juan.

When the school day finally ended, all that could be heard from miles around was the roar of an irate dragon, and the sound of training drones being systematically dismantled inside the practice rooms.

We'll get back to her soon.

* * *

Elsewhere, Professor Ozpin instinctively pulled out a notepad and a calculator from out of his desk and went on to estimate the cost to cover all of repairs of the school's destroyed training drones, as well as renovation to the soon to be destroyed training room. He sighed to himself and poured himself a nice piping hot cup of coffee.

"This is going to take a while." He said aloud as he sipped on his coffee. "Okay, that's two hundred lin per drone..."

* * *

Ruby, Weiss, and Blake watched with silent amusement as Pyrrha furiously paced herself around their room. Mumbling to herself every now and then as she kept walking back and forth without an end in sight.

"You might want to dial it down a little, Pyrrha. You're starting to wear down the floor." Blake quipped from behind her book.

"I can't dial it down, Blake. I'm on pins and needles here." Pyrrha muttered as she continued her rounds.

"Well, what's the problem?" Ruby asked. "You just showed up out of the blue, invited yourself in, and started pacing like the sun wasn't going to rise tomorrow morning. What's wrong?"

"Juan." Pyrrha curtly replied. "Juan's the problem."

"The buffoon?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. "What did he do this time?"

"How about waiting on me hand and foot ever since yesterday?" said Pyrrha, earning a perplexed look from everyone.

"And... that's a problem?" Ruby deadpanned.

"Hmph, sounds to me like he finally realizes his place in the world." Weiss coldly stated. "He may be an Arc, but he was never hunter material to begin with, He's better off being a butler, or a servant to an individual of higher standing. At least then he'll be acknowledged for something worthwhile."

"Are you sure that's not something that you would like?." Blake teased. "Imagine it, Weiss. Juan, by your side, all gussied up in a fancy suit, obeying your every order without protest. Your word is law, and he has to do whatever you say, no matter how outrageous or...  _suggestive_ , the demand." Both she and Ruby cracked a small grin.

"Quiet, you." Weiss grumbled with a heavy blush that didn't go unnoticed by Blake's and Ruby's keen eyes. But they chose to remain silent, knowing full well that the enjoyment of it all was in Weiss's constant denial and false sense of infatuation for the blonde.

"Do you honestly have any idea what I went through yesterday?" Pyrrha asked, stopping finally.

"No, but I kinda want to hear it." Ruby gave Pyrrha a knowing smile. "Come, on. Don't skimp out on the details."

"Yesterday, after school, I came back from training to find that he had prepared an extravagant meal for me, with lit candles, a decorative ice swan, a bottle of cider chilled in an ice bucket and everything." Pyrrha started. "I have clue how he pulled all that off. He somehow even manage to convince Ren to play a symphony for us on a zither while we dined."

"What? Ren can play the zither?" Ruby exclaimed. "Wait, what's a zither?"

"A zither is a stringed instrument that's similar to a guitar. Minus the long neck that a guitar is known for." Blake explained.

"Seriously? That's the first thing you question?" Weiss gave Ruby a look.

"Well, look at it from my perspective. If I ever start a band, I know who's going to be the lead guitarist."

"Except a zither isn't a guitar." Blake added.

"But you said that it was like a guitar."

"Ahem!" Pyrrha brought everyone's attention back.

"Sorry, continue." Ruby apologized.

"Anyway, after I finished the unbelievably tender cornish game hen with black truffle mandarin salad, which  _he all made himself_  by the way, he went on to give me a foot massage. And let me tell you, when his hands touched the soles of my feet,  _they practically oozed_." She briefly shuddered from the memory. "I can still feel the lingering sensation of his touch from the night before tickling my the tips of my toes."

"Then, there was the poetry reading (about me), the figure drawing session (of me), and lastly, the  _barechested unarmed no holds barred duel with a pack of beowolves_  (in dedication to me)."

"Wow." Blake whistled. "You must've had one heckuva night."

"I'll say, did you enjoy it?" Ruby asked.

"By great Monty above I  _adored_  every second of it!" Pyrrha shouted as she collapsed onto her knees and descended into hysterics. "But, the way he whispers my name in the sleep, the tone of voice he adopts whenever he speaks to me. It's too much to handle!"

"I've been trained to break bones of both man and grimm in alphabetical order, I can take on a small army of grimm and win all by myself, I can split the thin end of a playing card from fifty yards away with my rifle, backwards, but I don't know how to deal with the unwavering passion of that man!" By now, she had curled up into a ball on the floor, huddling against herself as Ruby rushed on over to console the hysterical girl. "Ugh, I feel so pathetic..."

"There, there." Ruby patted her on the head. "Let it all out."

"I didn't realize that being treated like queen a can make one feel so miserable..." Pyrrha mumbled.

"I'm surprised, Pyrrha." said Blake. "I thought you had a thing for Juan, judging by how social you are with him compared to most of the other boys. And now that he's showering you with praise and gifts, you've become a nervous wreck caught between a rock and a hard place. Was I wrong in my hypothesis?"

"You're not wrong, but in my dilemma, you're not right either." said Pyrrha as she regained her bearings.

"The man is throwing himself at your feet, what's stopping you from snapping him up?" Weiss inquired.

"For one, there's his entourage of rabid fangirls. They haven't pulled anything yet, but It's going to happen. I just don't know when."

"When it does happen, know you've got backup." said Ruby, gesturing to Weiss and Blake. Blake flashed Pyrrha a quick thumbs up, and Weiss simply shrugged indifferently. "Plus, there's Nora and Ren. I know they'll hop to it in your time of need."

"I think I'll cross that bridge when I get there." Pyrrha sighed. "As for Juan... Nevermind. It's not important at the moment"

"I still think you should give him a chance." said Ruby, adopting an all too familiar tone of voice.

"Ruby, stop right there." Pyrrha stiffened up.

"I'm not saying you two should get together." Ruby defended innocently. "Why not enjoy what he has to offer?"

"Cause then I would leading him on and that would be very bad. How devastated do you think it would be for him if he thought he could be with me, only to have his heart ripped out of his chest and stomped on by his would-be lover?"

"Yeesh, sorry I asked..." Ruby reeled back as if she'd been slapped in the face. Her guilty conscience took over, and she reevaluated everything that's been happening up to now. "Well, since you feel so strongly about this, we could... you know, end it early?"

"Really?" Pyrrha lit up.

"Huh? What was that?" Blake spoke up, intrigue written all over her face.

"Oh, nothing. Just some girl stuff between me and Pyrrha. Eh heh heh..." Ruby chuckled dryly as she grabbed Pyrrha and the arm and pulling her out into the hallway. "We'll be right back!"

Without another word, the two dashed out of the room, leaving behind Blake and Weiss with a whole lot of confusion.

* * *

"So, rounding out the cost, add in taxes, and the sum total should come up to abou-"

**BOOM!**

" *Sigh* Subtract one thousand... multiply by eight... divide by three... nine to the fifth power... shouldn't forget the coefficients... Y equals MX plus B... No, I should use the quadratic formula..."

* * *

It was dark outside. The stars twinkled in the night sky as Pyrrha and Ruby sat along the edge of the roof where the former and Jaune would train nights before. The atmosphere was serene, with an orchestra of crickets gently chirping to all to hear. It was just what Pyrrha needed to relax her stressed out nerves. The two girls remained quiet for some time, choosing to let everything around them sink in before getting to the important matters.

"I'm sorry." Ruby spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Hmm?" Pyrrha snapped out of her musings.

"I said, I'm sorry." said Ruby solemnly.

"For what?"

"For trying to replace Jaune. I should've known better than to make this all look like a blessing in disguise, knowing that it was hurting you in the process. I... I was just so excited by this hypnotism stuff that I guess I lost sight of what really mattered. This was supposed to be about Jaune, not Juan. And, to be honest, I miss Jaune too."

"Apology accepted." Pyrrha stated with a smile.

"So... do you me to unhypnotize Juan right now, or..." Ruby trailed off.

"As much as I would love to right everything this very moment, I do have to tie up some loose ends first."

"Such as?"

"I believe that it is necessary for me to tell Juan about I truly feel about him. After all, he is a man of passion, he deserves to know the truth. And the truth he shall receive" Her expression looked downcast. "I hope he doesn't take it too hard..."

"And then?" Ruby played with her hair.

"And then, Juan would go back to Jaune, and everything will return to normal."

"Would it really?" Ruby raised an eyebrow. "I mean, having Juan turn back to Jaune overnight would seem mighty suspicious."

"And you're saying Jaune turning into Juan wasn't?" Pyrrha retorted.

"Hmm, point taken." Ruby brought her hand to her chin. "What about the girls following him? I'm pretty sure they're going to be really disappointed once smooth talking Juan goes back to being sword stumbling Jaune."

"They're all tough girls, otherwise they wouldn't have had the gall to threaten me." She chuckled. "They'll move on, find others, and eventually forget that this whole thing ever even happened. I hope."

"You don't sound confident about all this."

"I'll admit, my plan's not well thought out. But I just want to get Jaune back as soon as possible. And if there are any obstacles barring me from that goal," Pyrrha cracked her knuckles, "I'm going to demonstrate why I'm the champion of the arena."

"Traditionally, violence should be used as a last resort." Ruby joked.

"Violence? What are you talking about?" Pyrrha feigned obliviousness. "I'm merely stating that I'm going to demonstrate why I'm the champion of the arena. Do you think me a violent woman, Ruby?"

"No, but I can understand why I would get confused about that." Ruby giggled. "Soooo... is tomorrow good?"

"Yeah. Tomorrow's good." replied Pyrrha. "Tomorrow... for certain..."

* * *

The practice room looked like something out of a coffee machine's worst nightmare. Dozens of training drones were strewn across the area in various bits and pieces. Half of the drones had been struck with such force that they were embedded into the walls, oil still leaking out of their unmoving mechanical carcasses.

The remaining half were simply annihilated to high heaven. Chunks of whatever remain were smoldering as the flames that previously engulfed them quelled into glowing embers. Craters littered the room, piled to the sky with the recently disassembled, whilst others had cracks that webbed so wide it appeared as if the structure was going to fail at any moment.

Sitting at the far corner of the room, hugging at one of her knees with a ponderous look on her face was Yang. She had originally came here to try and blow off some steam after losing in what was decidedly the worst way ever, according to her. A few hours and several destroyed drones later, she found no solace in the ensuing carnage, only to experience an odd soul searching moment in her life, and it centered around one person: Juan.

She couldn't stand him, but she didn't really hate him either. To her, he was still the lovable goof that blew chunks onto her shoes on their first day at Beacon Academy. When he changed, she found it odd, but she didn't rule it out as anything serious. Then the (assumed) flirting started.

Yang wasn't stupid. Guys have been trying to successfully ask her out for years, but she knew that it was for one reason, mostly because of her assets, or the other, because they wanted to brag about having a hot girlfriend. She shot them down every chance she got, waiting for an earnest man to come around in her life. It hasn't happened yet, but after yesterday, she may have found him.

"Has it always been, Juan?" She asked aloud. 'I never really paid much attention to him when he called himself Jaune. But now...' Reminiscing, she thought about his bold, audacious nature. She had to admit, it took balls to do what he did to her, and while she was furious, she couldn't deny that it was a quality she liked in a man. Not to mention, Juan can rock a guitar like no other.

Her mind soon wandered over to his shaggy blonde hair, it reminded her of her own, only shorter and a bit more unruly. Juan was also a bit on the lean side, but she could tell there were some muscle there. Not too skinny, but not too overly muscular like a massive body builder either.

Then there was that smile of his. It shone like the sun, but held a warmth that felt like being cuddled by a group of tiny puppies. Preferably, adorable puggles with their big beady googly eyes staring directly into your soul. And his blue eyes, it like someone had condensed the ocean into two perfect spheres an-

"Oh my gosh!" Yang's eyes widened considerably upon being struck with such an earth shattering epiphany. "We're perfect together! Why didn't I realize this sooner?" She frantically shot up to her feet. "It... It all makes sense now." Grunting to herself, she grabbed the nearest scrap of metal that she could find and chucked it straight through the hole in the roof out of frustration.

"I can't believe how much of a jerk I was to him!" She punched the weakened walls, causing them to buckle under the force. "He was just trying to get my attention and I treated it all like it was some game!" She punched again, sending concrete chunks and rebar flying. "I have to make it up to him somehow!" She punched one final time, and the wall before her crumbled into a hole leading outside.

"Ugh! I need time to figure out what to say to him." She paused to think. "Tomorrow! I have to tell him tomorrow! Hold on, Juan! Yang's coming!" With a newfound resolve boiling from within, Yang bolted out and sprinted across the campus like her little sister on a sugar high, leaving a trail of dust and fire behind as she went.

* * *

"And, done." Professor Ozpin allowed himself a moment of reprieve as he set down his pen and sighed heavily in content. It had taken hours, but it was finally finished. A detailed report on all the money needed to repair everything that had been damaged today. He rubbed his sore hand, thanking the powers that be for granting him the strength to power through such a strenuous task. "Hmph, I hope I don't get carpal tunnel in the near future."

He hummed to himself, feeling the need for another cup of coffee. However, the moment he got up from his chair, something came crashing through the window of his office, ricocheting around the room and utterly destroying everything around him. Miraculously, Ozpin was left unharmed. The same cannot be said for his office, though.

His face impassive, Ozpin walked on over to his desk and swept away all the debris that littered it. As he sat down on his damaged chair, he once again took up the pen and began to estimate the ever growing cost of repairs for Beacon Academy. Hopefully, there would be enough funding leftover to get them through to the end of the month.

"I should _really_  consider hiring a secretary..." Ozpin mumbled to himself, the faint sounds of scribbles and button clicks of an overused calculator echoing away into the night.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A battle erupts, and Ruby rectifies her mistake. But things aren't as easy as they seem.

Pyrrha had butterflies in her stomach. Nay. She had a whole pit of  _king taiju_  slithering around in her guts. She found herself pacing again, only this time it was out of impatience and not out of distress. Looking up at the wall clock in the practice room she was in, she scowled to find out that time happened to be moving slower, as though mocking her efforts to reestablish a sense of normalcy back into her life.

It was half an hour after school the very next day. She had told Juan earlier in class that she wanted to ' _give him an answer_ ' and to meet up with her in one of the other practice rooms that hadn't been utterly reduced to rubble by Yang's anger management session. Today was the day that she was finally going to confront him and defuse this whole situation once and for all.

Too bad glaring at a clock didn't make time go any faster. If only Pyrrha was a superhero, maybe she could manipulate space time and force the world to speed up a little, for her leisure. But alas, that was not to be.

Sighing to herself, Pyrrha decided to pass the time by checking her weapons. She field stripped milo and laid out the pieces in alphabetical order, it was an old habit of hers that stuck ever since she built the thing. She idly inspected her weapon parts, making sure that everything was in working order and without defect, not noticing a presence creeping up from behind her.

"Eep!" Pyrrha shot upwards as she felt a hand grasp at her shoulder. As she floated in mid air, she rolled forward, scooped up all the piece of milo in her arms and began to rapidly assemble it before entering a crouching position with her rifle aimed and ready to shoot. Unsurprisingly, she was met with Juan's smiling mug, lips curled up in a playful smile that caused Pyrrha to ease up a bit. She placed milo down and lightly punched the boy's arm.

"Jerk." Pyrrha huffed with an indignant turn of the head.

"Hey, you were the one who called me out here." replied Juan, rubbing his arm. "Ademas, what has you all jumpy?"

"Oh, just a certain someone driving me a little crazy, but I don't blame them. Things have been hectic lately." Pyrrha grumbled between her teeth as she kept a fake smile plastered on her face.

"Comprensible. But, let's cut the small talk, si?" Juan's expression turned uncharacteristically stern. "You said you had an answer for me?" He asked, his expression slowly turning hopeful, yet bearing a sense of caution underneath as well.

"Yes, I do." Pyrrha steeled herself, and took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm not going to sugar coat anything. Juan, I think you're a great guy and perhaps the best friend that any girl, or anyone for that matter, could have in this lifetime. Ren and Nora and everyone from team RWBY should be grateful to know a guy like you." She began, seeing a smile form on Juan's lips.

"You're so bold, so passionate, so, so... confident. Your smile warms the soul, your words carry weight that could break a lesser man's jaw..."

"Pyrrha..." said Juan, his smile faltering. But Pyrrha did not hear his words, and continued with her speech, growing more and more feverish with each word spoken.

"And, your guitar skills. I was pretty sure the bushes outside grew ten folds once they heard your sweet melody."

"...Pyrrha,  _stop_."

"You have such great talents. Cooking, drawing, writing poetr-" Pyrrha stopped abruptly, reeling in shock from the sudden passionate hug from Juan. She blushed profusely, struggling and twitching from within his hold. "J-Juan!" she stuttered. "W-What is t-thi-"

"I can see how hard this is for you. You don't have to say anymore." Juan interrupted and loosened his hold. "All I want to ask is, has someone already captured your heart?"

"..." Pyrrha remained quiet, both in shock and in thought. Biting down on her lip, she spoke, knowing there was no reason to lie. "Yes. I love someone else."

"...How long?"

"Since, ahem." Pyrrha looked away and poorly tried to hide her blush. "Since the very first day that I came to beacon. He treated me like another person, not some kind of celebrity on a pedestal. It was at that moment that I realized I wanted to be with him."

"I see, so I never had a chance in the first place, did I?" He said solemnly as he pulled away.

"No! Don't say that!" Pyrrha exclaimed, pulling Juan close until they were eye to eye. "You have incredible qualities, Juan. Any girl would thank Monty above if they were together with you. It's just... if circumstances were different, I'd choose to be with you in a heartbeat. But my feelings, they are tied to that precious someone like a red thread."

"Is he someone that I know?"

"I won't say too much, only that you two share a lot more in common than you would think." Pyrrha smiled gently. Juan brought his hand to his chin, trying to think of anyone that fit the bill.

"Is it, Ren?" Juan raised his eyebrow. "It's Ren, isn't it? I should've known it. He's got some skills of his own, I'll tell you what."

"What! No!" Pyrrha denied vehemently with wide eyes, flailing her hands around. "I don't want to come off sounding rude, but me being in an intimate relationship with him would be like having a doting older brother for a boyfriend. No, thank you."

"Hmm, I can't think of anyone else. I can only hope that he treats you right." Juan stated with fire in his eyes. "If he hurts you in any way, so help me lo encontraré, lo cuelgue por su trasero en la fiesta de cumpleaños de los niños y usarlo como una piñata!"

"Uh, I don't think he would appreciate that... whatever you just said." Pyrrha weakly chuckled. "If anything, I'd only wish he'd catch on the hints I've been sending his way. He can be so dense sometimes, like a block of solid mercury."

"Que? You mean to tell me you didn't pursue him already?" Juan eyed her incredulously.

"What? I expect him to act on my, um," Pyrrha blushed again ", _subtle_  advances. I really can't make them any more obvious than it already is." Her response, however, earned a disapproving shake of the head from Juan.

"Pyrrha, listen to me when I say what you're doing won't work. It is doomed for failure."

"Excuse me?" Pyrrha stared at Juan.

"This is just one of the things that drive me loco sometimes. When a person expects one another to instantly recognize what is being shown and not said. Especially, if someone want to let the other know that they love them. People can't read each other's minds, Pyrrha." He shook his head again. "Did I ever tell you what the definition of insanity is?"

"Enlighten me." Pyrrha folded her arms.

"It's doing the same thing over and over again, expecting for something to change. It's like a bad soap opera. It stretches on for far too long, and can make you feel like you're running in a loop sometimes. Different methods, same results." He paused to catch his breathe.

"Now, I haven't met this guy, nor do I know what he looks like, but from what you've told me, and how he acts, I can only assume that he will never return your feelings, Pyrrha, not unless you make them known, loud and clear." Juan clasped both of Pyrrha's hands in his own, cradling them with great care. "You, Pyrrha Nikos, my beautiful dahlia, deserve love."

Pyrrha was stunned, left absolutely speechless by Juan's words of wisdom. Bizarre as it was, hearing the very same man she loved unknowingly refer to himself in such a way, he was right on all accounts. She can't stay in the back and spitball her feelings to Jaune. She had to use the  _metaphorical rock of the direct approach_ , and chuck it towards the back of his head with the strength of ten men. Yet...

"But, what if I drive him away? What if voicing my feelings to him makes him nervous? What if I lose my friendship with him because of that?" She asked, feeling embarrassed to be held back in her actions by such a juvenile fear.

"Then, he doesn't deserve to be with you."

Pyrrha closed her eyes and let his words sink in. Jaune wasn't like that, she didn't know where she came up with this nonsensical view of him. She had to take the chance and pour her heart out to him. If worst comes to worst, Jaune would still stand by her side regardless, as her trustworthy friend, helping in her times of need, and as the leader of team JNPR, leading them to glory against the monsters clawing at the door.

"Thank you, Juan." Pyrrha whispered back. "You too, deserve love."

"I wish it would come from you, though..." Juan sighed. "But I guess it was not meant to be."

"Don't be like that." Pyrrha caressed his cheek. "I'm sure there's a girl out there who enjoys your passionate personality."

"You think so?" Juan's eyes lit up.

"Yeah! And that girl is  _me_!" A bombastic voice boomed. Pyrrha and Juan both turned to find the source of the voice, and saw a familiar golden mane flip towards them, spinning like an olympic athlete in the middle of a pole vault. With a landing that nearly knocked her off balance, Yang righted herself and gave the two a thumbs up, to which Pyrrha rolled her eyes at the flamboyant entrance. "Hey, you two!"

"Yang." Pyrrha replied respectfully.

"Senorita." said Juan. "Are you here to train?"

"Actually, I'm here for you, Juan." Yang announced, causing the two to trade glances with each other. "Be my boyfriend." she grinned.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Well, I just recently got back on the market, so, okay." Juan replied, causing Pyrrha to suffer a small panic attack.

"WHAT!?" Pyrrha yelled, her voice echoing off the walls of the room. Despite the sheer volume of her abject terror, however, she was largely ignored.

"Great! Now, how about pet names?" Yang continued unhindered, despite Pyrrha's meltdown. "I was thinking I could call you my passionate knight. Get a little creative with mine."

"Sounds bueno." Juan's mood shot up again. "You know, I never took you for the type to use pet names."

"Hey, I'm a girl. I have girly aspects like Ruby and Weiss and Blake. I mean, I don't knit sweaters or anything if that's what you're implying."

As Juan and Yang continued back and forth with their playful banter, Pyrrha stood still, frozen like a statue in a garden as her world came crashing down on her like a ton of bricks. Her mind was on standby, only registering important brain functions such as breathing and hearing.

How did it end up like this? She was only supposed to let Juan down easy, then have Ruby unhypnotize him back to being her goofy crush by days end. She never expected Yang to swoop in and steal her man. Could this day get any worse?

* * *

As if some higher power heard her challenge, the doors behind her wildly swing open to reveal an irate group of girls pouring into the room. Each and every one of them were all armed, all ready to cause destruction at a moments notice.

"Hold it right there!" Pyrrha snapped out of her stupor and turned around, eliciting a surprised gasped as to who was leading the charge.

" _Coco_?" Pyrrha said incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

Yes, there she was. The fashionable fraulein in all her chic and magnifique glory, with her gucci purse slung over her shoulders as she wore a smug expression on her face.

"Hello, Pyrrha." Coco spoke in a cool and even tone. "I am president of the  _Juan fan club_ , and me and everyone else have come to stop this madness!"

"You got to be kidding me." Pyrrha blinked. "So then it was you who sent me that threatening message!"

"Actually... that was me." A meek voice spoke up. Surprise struck Pyrrha again as she saw who it was. It was Velvet, the bunny eared faunus whom Cardin and his goons would always pick on during lunch. "As vice president, I couldn't stand seeing Juan flirt with you everyday! S-sorry, Pyrrha..." she finished barely above a whisper.

"If you want to apologize to anyone, apologize to Yang." said Pyrrha. "Juan's with her now." She grumbled bitterly.

"WHAT!?" The group exclaimed, not unlike Pyrrha.

"When did this happen!?" Coco exclaimed as she adjusted her sunglasses.

"Just now." Yang interjected. "Yep, you're all looking at Juan's future missus, girls!" she fist pumped victoriously. "Don't worry all you're pretty little heads. If you act nice, you can all be invited to the wedding!"

"Not unless we have anything to say about that!" Coco reached for her purse and clicked on the gucci logo. Her purse whirred to life and began to unfold, allowing it to transformed into her weapon: a fearsome gatling gun. Everyone else behind her also began to draw their weapons, transforming them or unsheathing them as they assumed a combative stance. "Your move, tramp."

"Oh, so that's how it's going to be?" Yang raised an eyebrow before getting into a combative stance as well. "Come on, I can take you all on! And that is why Juan chose me!"

"Senoras, please, there is no need for you to fight." Juan stepped in, hoping to quell the conflict before it can escalate any further. "Let's be civil about this."

"You can be civil all you like, Arc. But that isn't going to change a damn thing." From the opposite end of the room, the double doors there opened up and in came a group of guys who all had a bone to pick with Juan. In the front was  _Cardin_ , looking as smug and as arrogant as always as him, his team, and some very aggressive looking guys followed behind him.

"Sheesh, did everyone and their grandmas find out about where we were?" Pyrrha asked in an annoyed tone. "Cardin, what are you doing here? And who are all these guys?"

"We," Cardin gestured to his rabble, "are here to teach that Juan punk a lesson."

"For what? Being a better man than you?" Yang sneered, turning her attention away from the rest of her aggressors.

"Grr... that douche has been stealing all the chicks around this place!" He snarled, earning a collective 'yeah!' from the boys behind him. "We won't stand for that!"

"Really? What a petty motivation." said Pyrrha. "What? You can get a girl on your own, so you got to take out your anger on someone who can?"

"You butt out of this, red!" Cardin brandished his mace. "It ain't just me. You can't just waltz in one day and have every girl eating out the palm of your hands and not expect some kind of payback!"

"Have you ever thought that it was because of that sandpaper personality of yours that drives women away from you?" Yang quipped. "Or maybe it's because we all know Monty gave ya a  _tic tac_  instead of a  _baby carrot_." She smirked.

Growling, Cardin and the rest of the boys rallied behind him began to ready their own weapons, prompting Pyrrha to take up milo and atoug and for Yang to move closer to Juan. Juan also drew his blade, and leveled a glare on Cardin.

"You and your amigos stand down, no one has to get hurt." Juan replied coolly before turning around. "You too, senoras." Though the girls melted over the sound of his voice, they didn't falter in their aggression.

"You can talk all you like, Arc. There ain't no way out of this." said Cardin.

"Hey, don't ignore us!" Coco interjected, spinning up her gun. "Don't you dare harm a hair on his gorgeous head!"

"Yeah, he's coming with us!" said Velvet in as threatening a manner as she could muster.

"Back off! He's mine!" Yang roared. "Don't think I forgot about all of you!"

In the midst of the all the shouting, Pyrrha could feel a massive migraine bore into her skull at an alarming rate. She, Juan and Yang are practically caught in the middle of a faction war. A powder keg had been lit beneath their feet, it was only a matter of time before everything went to hell faster than a dead sinner in a Las Vegas alleyway.

* * *

"Hold it right there!" a new and unmistakably recognizable voice pierced through the noise, silencing everyone as they all attempted to find the disembodied voice. Shortly afterwards, the catchy tune of an 80's hit single blasted through the air, confusing many with it's funky beat and bizarre lyrics.

**'Traveling in a fried out Kombi**

**On a hippie trail, head full of zombies**

**I met a strange lady, she made me nervous**

**She took me in and gave me breakfast**

**And she said:**

**"Do you come from a land down under**

**Where women glow and men plunder**

**Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder**

**You better run, you better take cover."**

"Nora! I said  _track 8_!"

"But this is track 8."

"You had it set to shuffle! You can't pick the next song and expect 8 on shuffle!"

"It's too late now, our entrance is messed up."

"Hold on, we can still probably make this work."

From out of the blue, Ruby and Nora leapt heroically from out of the bleachers, landing in between a bemused Juan, Pyrrha, and Yang, striking a pose as the music continued to blare around them.

**Buying bread from a man in Brussels**

**He was six foot tall, and full of muscle**

**I said, "Do you speak-a my language?"**

**He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich.**

**And he said:**

**"I come from a land down under**

**Where beer does flow and men chunder**

**Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder**

**You better run, you better take cover."**

With that, the music faded away, leaving more questions than there were answers.

"We made that work." Nora grinned.

"We totally made that work." said Ruby.

"Ruby, Nora, what are you two doing here?" Pyrrha asked, not bothering to question their choice in music nor their sudden appearance.

"I followed Yang here. She was saying something about looking for Juan so I decided to check it out. Then I learned about all this jazz and called some backup for you." said Ruby.

"That's me!" Nora cheered.

"Only  _Nora_?" Pyrrha raised an eyebrow. "Where's Ren? Where's Blake and Weiss? Where's the backup you promised me?"

"Uh, about that." Ruby nervously scratched the back of her head. "Ren said he didn't want to get involved in a lover's squabble, especially on a school night. And Weiss and Blake thought it would be best to just let this whole thing blow over."

"Does it look like it's just gonna blow over?" Yang joined in, tapping her foot.

"Yea-wait, is that a trick question?" Nora asked.

"Enough distraction!" Cardin boomed as he raised his mace high, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "Juan's gonna get what's coming to him, and if you're gonna stand in our way, then you're gonna be beaten with him!"

"We'll make you regret that if you do, Cardin!" Coco retorted with her revved up gun. "I've yet to see a man who can outsmart my bullets!"

"I'll kick all your asses if you get even two feet of my boyfriend!" Yang snapped, eyes red and cloaked in golden fire. "Cept for Pyrrha, my sis, and Nora. They're cool."

The rambling went on for only a few minutes more, with each side throwing a snappy retort or colorful insult back at another, eagerly waiting for someone to throw the first punch. No one knew who fired the first shot, but once it rang out, Ozpin's financial tragedy senses started to tingle...

* * *

"Anyway, that's what happened." Said Ruby as she nursed her sore cheek. "You need anything else, Professor Ozpin?"

"No, no, that's quite alright, Ruby." Ozpin sighed, surveying the chaos that surrounded him with an grimace hidden behind his poker face. An offscreen battle of epic proportions had taken place here and the damage left behind in its wake was certainly something to behold.

Every student that was involved in the fight was either on the ground, trapped in a hole in the wall somewhere, or were laying in a stretcher nearby groaning in pain as they were being tended to by members of the local hospital. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured. There were some broken bones and bruise here and there, but nothing fatal. Although the same can't be said for the actual room itself, much to Ozpin's dismay.

It was as if someone had taken the very same room that Yang Xiao Long destroyed the day before and added in an tornado filled with sharks to the mix. In fact, Ozpin's main priority was to get every student out of the room, lest the ceiling that were being held up by pathetically thin pieces of rebar and concrete give under its own tremendous weight and collapse right on top of them.

"What a mess." Ozpin grumbled.

"I guess it's true what they say them; love is a battlefield." said Ruby. "Sooo..." She twiddled her fingers. "You're not going to give me a suspension, are you?" she asked, putting on a innocent, if somewhat nervous, smile.

"No, I don't believe you deserve it. You saw your friends and sister were in trouble and stepped in to help. Although the kind of help you gave was rather... questionable, given the situation."

"Helping them to kick butt for being threatened is questionable?"

"Tell me, Ruby. Have you ever thought of adopting a more diplomatic mindset? It could come in handy in the future when you're leading your team against a problem that can be remedied without the need for violence."

"I could, but around me it always seems like violence solves everything. I usually leave all the diplomatic stuff to Blake and Weiss. They know more about it than I do."

"As a leader, it is commendable that you recognize your teammate's strengths. But please, do think it over. Now, run along, miss Rose. I have to question the others and see which punishment would be deemed fit for them."

With a final nod, Ruby and Ozpin parted ways. Ruby, still sore from the fight, hobbled over to one of the nearby trees outside of the building and met up with Yang, Nora, Pyrrha, and Juan. They were sitting on the ground, all looking worse for wear as she did.

Yang was currently picking at the cast on her right arm. Her arm had taken one heck of a hit from Cardin's mace during the big fight. The cringeworthy sound of her bones snapping upon impact still rang in her mind, but she paid him back in full with interest by clocking him across the jaw and unloading everything she had armed in her gauntlets. She won't be punching anything with her good arm for a while, but at least she got some sweet, sweet payback.

Nora was licking on a lollipop that she had gotten for being a good lil' patient. Her injuries were light, and was limited to only a few scratches on her face and arms and a bruise on her ankle. All in all, she was still in good shape in spite of the recent brawl, and was still as chipper as a mouse nibbling on a piece of cheese.

Pyrrha, while not sustaining any lasting injuries, looked like she had been mauled by a beowolf. There were scratches all over her, and she gained a few deep gashes that had to be bandaged up to prevent bleeding. Her uniform was ragged, with various bulletholes and cuts adorning it like badges of honor. And her crimson hair, previous tied in a neat ponytail, was bedraggled, and messily strewn all over her face and shoulders.

Juan was not faring any better than Pyrrha was. Much like her, he was also covered in cuts, bruises and scratches, and his clothes looked as though they went into a fight with a blender and had just barely succeeded. Though even with everything that's happened, he somehow manages to keep that confident smile on his face.

"Hey guys, how's it going?" Ruby asked.

"Do you really have to ask?" Pyrrha deadpanned as she attempted to fix her hair.

"It went a lot better than I expected, to be honest." said Yang. "I got a boyfriend, socked Cardin in his stupid face, defended my man from the horde of jealous wenches, and now I have an excuse to leave class early if it starts getting boring." She pointed to her cast, oblivious to Pyrrha's quiet fuming. "All in all, it's been a pretty terrific night."

"So what'd Ozpin say?" Nora chimed in. "Are we in trouble?"

" _We_  aren't. I can't say the same for everyone else, though."

"In a way, I am relieved. In another, I am saddened." said Juan with a sigh. "To think, all this happened all because of my passionate pursuit of love. Lo tragico."

"Oh, come on, don't beat yourself up, cutie." said Yang as she gave him a powerful slap to the back, causing him to nearly double hadn't he righted himself at the last moment. "In the end, we kicked some booty together, and showed them all that this is one couple that you don't want to mess with!"

"I guess that's true." Juan turned and sidled closer to Yang before inspecting her cast. "How is your arm?"

"Oh, it's fine." Yang waved it off, feeling the heat rush to her cheeks by Juan's close proximity. "It's nothing I can't handle."

"Are you sure? If you need anything, my  _flor de fuego_ , I'm right here. " Juan gave her a warm, gentle smile, similar to the ones that he gave Pyrrha.

Yang, finally taking in the smile in all its entirety for the first time, practically gushed at the sight. And the nickname he gave her, remedial spanish has taught her that it meant: fire flower. He can see the other side of her, he knows that she's more than just a bombastic brawler, and that makes the name all the more endearing.

"S-stop it, you're making me blush!" Yang looked away in an uncharacteristically shy manner, covering her face with her hands. "I know we only just got together, but I need a bit more time to acclimate to this!"

"Then how about I hasten the process, si?" Juan smirked. He leaned closer to Yang and pulled her into an intimate hug, causing the tough girl to become flustered by his boldness. Once in his grip, Juan tenderly ran his finger through her golden locks, stroking slowly along the length of her long, glimmering hair. Usually, her hair was off limits, and the result of touching her hair resulted in a black eye, or in more extreme cases, a lengthy trip to the infirmary.

But Juan's fingers felt soothing, comforting, therapeutic even. She just wanted to sit there, to be held in his grasp like a fine piece of china expertly being cared for, and veg out by how wonderful the sensation felt washing over her body like a waterfall of pure, unfiltered bliss.

Both Ruby and Nora's jaw simultaneously struck the ground with enough collective force to shatter a diamond into shards. As interesting as this was to witness, they both knew that this just felt... wrong. Yet, at the same time, why did it feel like these two were a perfect match together. But then Ruby remembered; this was Juan, not Jaune.

Of course, only Ruby and Pyrrha knew the truth about Juan and the persona that they accidentally created. But for Nora, she felt as though she'd been sailing the wrong ship all this time. Maybe, just maybe, these two worked out a bit better than it would if Juan Was with Pyrrha. Then again, she didn't discriminate when it came to the details.

"You know, I must say, Pyrrha, gracias." said Juan, still cradling a blissfully catatonic Yang in his arms.

"For what, Juan?" Pyrrha raised an eyebrow, speaking through gritted teeth,

"For helping me to find someone to love with all my heart. Yang was right in front of me all along, but here I was trying my damndest to be with a woman who was already in love with another man. Thank you for helping me to see who I should've been with all this time."

"No... No problem." Pyrrha painfully forced a wide, deceitful smile onto her face. A smile that was about a broken as the moon in the heavens. "After all, what are friends for?" By Monty, she wanted to murder a grimm so badly right now. She wanted to impale one against a tree with her spear and torment slowly as it wails in agony, making it beg with screeching howls for the sweet release of death. Maybe then that would make her feel better about all this.

"And you are the absolute bestest amigo that a guy could ask for. Believe me, I don't just say that to everyone." He stated as a matter o' factly.

"Glad to hear that." Pyrrha grunted through her broken smile and turned away, not wanting to see more than she already has.

"Hmmmmm, this feels amazing..." Yang droned. "Go lower, go all the way..." she cooed.

"As you wish, my beautiful flor de fuego." He replied lovingly, and brought his hands further down her back and to the tips of her locks, earning a low throaty moan of satisfaction from Yang.

"Ooh,  _yeeeeah_... That's the spot."

"Oh, Monty, that sounds so wrong." Ruby grimaced, backing away slowly towards Pyrrha. "Ugh, I can't watch this."

"I can!" Nora beamed. "Go Juan, Go!" she cheered.

Ruby skulked on over to Pyrrha, who did her best to drown out the almost orgasmic moans escaping Yang's lips from Juan's service. She looked miserable, and she really didn't have anyone else to blame but herself. Her plan had backfired horribly, and she didn't know if there was any damage control that could be done to lessen the pain inflicted on her heart.

"Pyrrha? Pyrrha? Hello, Remnant to Pyrrha." said Ruby, snapping before Pyrrha face.

"Does Monty hate me, Ruby?" Pyrrha asked, her voice carrying the tone of helplessness. "Does he enjoy toying with us pitiful mortals because he is all powerful?"

"What? No. He loves all us. Don't even think for a second that Monty would forsake us." Ruby sighed and plopped down beside Pyrrha. "Look, I know things aren't looking hot at the moment..."

"Ruby, I just lost Jaune to Yang." Pyrrha huffed. "Heck, I practically handed him over to her on a silver platter. You might as well get cozy with your new brother-in-law. I should just move on from my own folly."

"As cool as having Juan for a brother would be, there's still time for you." Ruby reached into her pocket and pulled out the root of both their problems:  **the 3-D hypno ring**. "I certain that Yang's only attracted to Juan and his passionate personality, but if we revert him back to Jaune..."

"..." Pyrrha blinked before it struck her. "Yang might lose interest in him." A hopeful smile formed on her lips. "And I'll finally be able to tell him how I feel!"

"And I'll finally be able to sleep at night without having a guilty conscience eat away at my soul like a starving rat! It's a win win!" Ruby jumped up, before remembering a crucial detail. "Kinda... I mean, I'll feel bad for my sister. She just got together with Juan." Ruby's shoulder drooped slightly. "Man, doing the right thing sucks sometimes. How do the good guys in the cartoons do it?"

"Let's just focus on getting Jaune back to normal first." Pyrrha suggested. "We get him the help he needs, and if Yang's still interested in normal Jaune and vice versa, then... then that's okay with me." She concluded hesitantly, though her breath hitched once she was done. "I pushed Juan away because I was scared and nervous of the fact that he was a different person, and now I'll pay the price for it. I'm prepared f-for... f-f-f... for it."

"Are you sure? Your voice says otherwise." Ruby asked concernedly.

"I made my bed, Ruby. And now I'm gonna lie on it. Simple as that." Pyrrha conceded to her own fate.

"Well, okay. If that's how you feel." Ruby slipped the hypno ring onto her finger. "The door to team RWBY is always open if you need someone to talk to outside of JNPR."

"Duly noted, Ruby. Now, please. Do it." Pyrrha turned away, and slumped over.

"Here goes nothing." Ruby took in a deep breath and exhaled, steeling herself for what she was about to do next. "Hey, Juan!" She called out. "I need your help with something."

"I need a guinea pig for an experiment..."

* * *

Ruby was nestled in between the blankets of her bed, unable to sleep due to recent event playing over and over again in her head like a terrible home movie. Half an hour ago, she had just finished reverting Juan back to Jaune in the locker rooms, away from Yang and Nora's prying eyes.

While they were surprised at first when the two saw her dragging Juan's unconscious form back outside, they bought the idea that he collapsed from exhaustion from all the excitement that happened to him in one night. It was, after all, logical. Deciding to call it a night, everyone picked themselves up and made a beeline straight to their rooms, ready to turn in for some much needed sleep.

Ruby followed every step in the instructions down to the last letter and made sure that everything was the way it was supposed to be. By the time she wakes up tomorrow, Jaune would be back in her life, and the struggle to retain a sense of normalcy will begin.

Tossing and turning, Ruby tried to sleep, but the day's events have left her restless. How was she suppose to sleep knowing her idea caused perhaps the greatest romantic mix up since... since... uh, um, well, she couldn't name one off the top of her head but she was pretty sure this was a serious crime in certain parts of the world. A crime so serious that secret service has to get involved.

What if word get out that she caused this and soon the men in black will arrive to take her away and lock her up for all eternity?! What if they capture her and force her to work a coal mine somewhere out in the far reaches of the arctic tundra until she's old and gray!? What if they make her babysit kids ages  _eight and under_  in a runned down daycare center that has terrible reviews? What if... what if... wha... snore... snore...

In the midst of all her worrying, poor Ruby's mind eventually burned itself out and she drifted away into the land of sleep. Quietly snoring the night away in the comfort of her own bed. As she slept, she dreamed. She dreamed of becoming the greatest huntress in the land...

* _clank!_ *

She dreamt of slicing up the creatures of grimm and saving innocent townsfolk.

* _clank!_ *

She dreamt of standing tall in the fields of battle, victorious.

* _clank!_ *

She also dreamt that, while all of that was happening, there happened to be a possessed piece of sheet metal and a floating hammer following her around wherever she went and causing an annoying clanking noise every so often.

* _clank!_ *

Fluttering her eyes open, Ruby pulled herself upright and scratched her head.

* _clank!_ *

"There's that noise again, what is it?" She whispered to herself and hopped out of bed. She began wandering around in her jammies, searching for the source of the noise. Oddly enough, the sound was coming from outside of the building. Groaning, she willed her body forward and drudged her way outside. Thank goodness there was an elevator in the dormitories, otherwise she would've gave up halfway down the flight of stairs.

Once she was outside, she immediately spotted a figure nearby, hammering away at a sheet of metal under the orange glow of the dawn's early light. To her surprise, it was Jaune. What on earth was he doing at, she turned to looked at the large clock up on a nearby building, five thirty in the morning?

"Jaune? Jaune?" She weakly cried out his name. "Jaune? What are you doing? It's still super early in the morning. And some of us need the sleep after last night."

Jaune turned around, revealing to ruby that he was wearing what looked to be a pair of protective eye goggles on his head, and a set of denim work gloves on his hands. In said hand was also a mallet that was causing all the noise that woke her up early. Lifting up his goggles and setting his mallet down, the boy addressed her.

"Ah!  _Gutten morgen_ , fraulein Ruby. Und who do I owe ze pleasure of meeting you zis fine morning?" Jaune asked, pulling his gloves off.

"No one, cept for the noise you were making." Ruby yawned, unaware of Jaune's heavy german accent. "What are you doing anyway?"

"Oh, zis?" Jaune pointed back. "I'm making a  _bomb_."

"Oh, okay then." Ruby yawned again. "Can you keep it down, though? You're gonna wake everyone up if you keep up that racket."

"Ooh, entschuldigung fraulein for waking you up so early in ze morgen. I'll try to be more quiet. But can you help me install zis remote detonator into ze bomb casing? It looks like a two person job."

"Sure" Ruby sleepily replied.

"Danke!" Jaune pulled out a remote detonator.

Picking up the detonator in his hand, Ruby placed the detonator into the bomb casing while he was on the opposite end trying to feed all the wires through. In no time flat, the detonator was in, and Ruby left to return to the comfort and warmth of her bed while Jaune continued to work on his bomb. From the looks of it, he's reached the point of his build where he requires _weapon grade plutonium_. But, that none of her business.

5...

4...

3...

2...

1...

" **A BOMB?!** " Ruby screamed.


	9. Ich Bin Johann Arc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another personality is born.

Whatever amount of sleepiness that was left in Ruby's systems instantly vanished into thin air when her brain finally register what it was that Jaune was building at five thirty in the morning. It was a  _bomb_. Jaune was building a bomb. A freaking, bomb. You know, the thing that goes boom, creates a huge mushroom cloud and leaves a big nasty crater where people and buildings were supposed to be mere seconds ago before it went off?

And there it was, not more than ten feet away from her. A device capable of causing widespread destruction to everything around it... and she just helped to install the detonator.

"Jaune, you're building a bomb!?" Ruby yelled as she sprinted over to him."What are you crazy!?"

"Nein! Ich bin brillant!" Jaune loudly declared with a clear hint of madness in his voice. "I voke up today, und I vas struck vith zis wunderbar idee!" He motioned towards the bomb. "If ve are going to fight ze grimm, zen ve are going to need better veapons! Und vat better veapon, zen ein veapon of mass destruction! Es ist brillant, brillant, BRILLANT! Ah ha ha ha ha!" He cackled wildly.

"No, it's most certainly not brilliant!" Ruby yelled back. "Jaune, what the heck is wrong with you, and why are you talking like the guy who runs the pretzels stand in Vale?"

"Mein name ist nicht Jaune, es ist Johann.  ** _Johann Arc_**! Ze greatest mind zat zis vorld has ever seen!" Jaune, now named Johann, stated with a flourish of hand gestures.

"Wait, what?" Ruby's jaw dropped to the ground. "Jau- eh, uh, Johann, whatever your name is, stay here. I'll be right back." With that said, Ruby bolted away from the scene with all the speed she could muster with her semblances, rocketing across the courtyard, up the every flight of stairs in the dormitory and came to a screeching halt near the door to her room.

Panting heavily, Ruby creaked the door open, making sure not to disturb her sleeping roommates and tiptoed on over to the bookcase. Reaching for her Captain Underpants book, she opened it up and took out the 3-D hypno ring's instructions.

"I don't understand, what happened?" She whispered as she looked over the instructions again. "I followed every single step. Why isn't Jaune, Jaune again? Why?" She looked over the instructions, combing them over and over again, looking for anything she may have missed. What she found out, however, made her heart drop. On the back of the sheet, at the very bottom, printed in bold, it stated:

* * *

**WARNING!**

**USE OF THE 3-D HYPNO RING MAY RESULT IN THE CREATION OF MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES WITHIN THE RECIPIENT!**

**PLEASE CONSULT A DOCTOR IF CONDITION PERSIST FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS!**

**THANK YOU FOR PURCHASING THIS BOOK AND THE 3-D HYPNO RING!**

* * *

"They should really put the important stuff like this on the front of the instructions..." Ruby frowned. Putting the instructions back and shelving her book, Ruby sighed to herself and started to quietly pace around her room.

' _Okay, okay. So I accidentally created another version of Jaune instead of turning him back to normal. This is not good, not good at all._ ' She thought. ' _What am I going to do now? I promised Pyrrha I'd have him back to his old self today._ '

"Ruby?" Ruby froze upon being addressed. "What are you doing up so early, sis?" Ruby slowly turned her head around and felt her heart stop for just a second when she noticed that her older sister was up.

"O-oh, Yang!" Ruby snapped to attention. "I'm just gonna go for a quick walk outside. Nothing to worry about!"

"Really? Cause you look kind of nervous." said a drowsy Yang as she yawned. "Did you wet the bed again?" Ruby's face burnt up from embarrassment.

"One time! That was one time two years ago!" Ruby quickly retorted. "I had a massive drink of water before I went to bed and I was dreaming about surfing with the whales and dolphins so it wasn't really my fault!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean it can't happen again." Said Yang with a playful smile below her half lidded eyes.

"Just go back to sleep, Yang." Ruby turned away.

"Can't, he's in my head now." Yang flopped onto her back. "I want to see him again."

"Who, Jau-" Ruby quickly clasped her hands over her mouth, mentally scolding herself for almost slipping up. "Juan?"

"Yeah, I want to hold him again." Yang said dreamily. "I want to be near him."

"Can't it wait till later?" Ruby asked in a panic.

"I don't know. Hey, maybe I should sneak on over to team JNPR's room and slip into bed with him. Maybe that would get me back to sleep again." Yang suggested with a rather suggestive smirk creeping on her lips. "He probably looks so cute when he's asleep. I just want to wrap my arms around him, press my ample bosoms up against his back and never let go. It'll be like sleeping with a giant teddy bear."

"N-no!" Ruby's hands shot upward. "I mean, doesn't our school have some kind of rule about intimacy between student. You don't want miss Goodwitch to get on your case, do you? After all, she's real strict about this kind of stuff."

"Hmm, yeah. You're probably right. The last thing I need is to have miss Goodwitch hound me and Juan all day." Yang grabbed her blanket and spun around, getting into a comfortable position before closing her eyes again.

'Phew, crisis averted.' Ruby thought as she tiptoed away. Once she was out of the room, she activated her semblance again and burned rubber towards Jau- ahem, Johann. When she got back, she saw that Johann was still working on the bomb, much to her steadily growing panic.

"Johann, what are you doing now?" Ruby asked in exasperation.

"Adding in ze veapon grade plutonium." Johann stated as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

"Where on Remnant do you even find weapon grade plutonium this early in the day?!" Ruby yelled. Now that she thought about, where did Johann get all of this stuff?

Looking over to the side, there was a mountain of random junk, trash, scrap metal, and power tools all laid out on a blue tarp. Simply glancing across the pile, she noted that there were things such as an old microwave, a metal gear of the rusted iron variety, some kind of prosthetic limb, and a whole bunch of pinball machine parts.

"Oh, zis? I picked it up from that one faunus terrorist group. You know, ze  _White Fang_? Nice bunch of folks, terrible leader though. Ugh."

"What!?" Ruby jumped. "You're telling me that you just waltzed right into a White Fang facility and they just gave you weapon grade plutonium!? Just like that!?"

"Well, sure... if I had even bothered to ask zem" Johann shrugged, earning another jaw drop from Ruby. "I'm sure zey don't mind missing one or two or twenty rods of this stuff. Seems like zey didn't even know how to use it in ze first place. Heh, heh. Amateurs."

* * *

"What do you mean we're missing  _all_  of our plutonium!" Roman Torchwick scolded his inept guards.

* * *

"Stop acting so nonchalant about all this!"

"Why? It's not like I committed a crime or anything." replied Johann.

"Yes you did! It's called theft! Have you heard of it?" By now, Ruby was on the verge of tearing her own hair out. Speaking to Johann was like talking to a bored shop owner. He always seemed to have an answer, even if it's not what you were expecting.

"It's not theft if it's stealing from thieves." Johann continued. "It's more like justice, in a sense. Like Robin hood. Only instead of stealing from ze rich und giving to ze poor, I stole from a band of terrorist to make a bomb."

"How is that any better!?" Oh, boy. Ruby could feel the years being shaved off of her life talking to this man. Is this her punishment for toying with powers beyond her mortal comprehension?

"Ze white fang lose a precious resource, und ve get a veapon to combat ze grimm vith." Johann concluded with a slam of bomb's panel. "There, zat looks good. Come now, help me arm the zing. Then we can do some field tests."

"No! I'm not going to arm a freaking bomb!"

"Vhy not? In all honesty, it's ze best part of building a bomb."

"Uh, uh. That's it. You're coming with me, mister." Ruby grabbed onto Johann wrist and pulled him along with her.

"Vat? Vhere are ve going?" Johann asked.

"To the only guy I know around here that has the word ' _doctor_ ' in his name." Ruby stated. "Doctor Oobleck."


	10. Is There A Doctor In The House?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby enlists the help of Dr. Oobleck, in hopes that his expertise would cure Johann.

Doctor Oobleck was an entirely different man in the morning. Instead of the energetic ball of energy that zoomed around in the classroom, he was a sluggish sloth that practically moved at the speed of smell. Well, at least before he had his daily dose of coffee that is. But here he was, woken up at crack of dawn by the sound of knocking, slowly treading down the stairs of his home in his striped pink pajamas, one foot at a time as he made his way for the front door.

Rubbing his eye behind his round glasses, he yawned loudly and turned the doorknob. When he pulled the door open, he was met with the grinning mug of one miss Ruby Rose, and another razor sharp smile from one mister Juan Arc.

"Greetings... you two..." Oobleck spoke with near five second intervals in between each word. "What... brings... you... to... my humble... humble..." His head drooped downwards as he fell asleep again, only to be brought back to land of the conscious by Ruby slapping him across the side of the face. "Huh? What... what happened?"

"You fell asleep." Ruby deadpanned. She reached out to him and held out a coffee cup that she had gotten from a nearby shop a little while back just in case something like this happened. "You look like you could use a quick pick me up. Here's an extra strong one for you. Black, just the way you like it."

"Thank... you..." Oobleck smile gently and took the cup. Bringing it up to his nose, he inhaled the bitter aroma the ebon drink gave off. It smelled of fresh roasted beans and tireless nights at the desk.

Lowering the cup to his lips, he took a long hearty swig. Once he pulled away, he smacked his lips one or two times before his pupil's dilated. Like a flip was switched in his head, his slumped body shot upwards and he became ramrod straight with an glint of unreasonable focus gleaming in his eyes. In the span of only two seconds, the sleepy sloth-like Oobleck was instantly replaced with the sporadic and audible Oobleck they know and love.

"Wonderful!" Oobleck exclaimed loudly. "How did you know that this was my favorite brand?"

"The lady at the receptionist desk at school told me about it." replied Ruby.

"Really? Did she also tell you where I lived?" Oobleck raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but it's only because I need your help!"

"Couldn't your dilemma have waited until after nine o' clock? As you can clearly see, I'm not much of a morning person."

"But it involves Juan, I mean Jaune, I mean, Johann!"

"Who?" Oobleck raised his eyebrow again.

"Gutten morgen herr doktor!" said Johann.

"...Is mister Arc speaking in german?" Oobleck asked.

"Can we sit down, this is kind of a lot to take in." said Ruby with pleading puppy dog eyes.

"Well, I can't exactly say no to eyes like those. Not that I could anyway..." Oobleck motioned for them to follow him. "But try those on me for a better grade on your next test and you're looking at a good scolding young lady."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Doctor Oobleck." Ruby walked in with Johann. "Nice pajamas, by the way."

"Thank you! It was a gift from my mother."

* * *

Ruby and Johann both settled down at doctor Oobleck's kitchen table, where Ruby began to regale her tale of how she and Pyrrha wanted to raise Jaune's self esteem by using hypnotherapy. Oobleck listened with great interest as she told him about the 3-D hypno ring, the Juan and Johann personas, and about how she doesn't know how to revert Jaune back to normal. It was a lot to take in, but in spite of it all, Oobleck believed her.

"That is a very interesting tale, but all of this could've been easily prevented if you'd just come to me and the others in the first place." said Oobleck, causing more guilt to well up from Ruby.

"You think I don't know that by now!" Ruby shouted. "It's just, I thought that by using the ring, I could get Jaune to see himself in a better light quickly. It's what Pyrrha and his team would've wanted anyway."

"But was it what mister Arc would've wanted?"

"Uh..."

"Change starts with the self, Ruby. You can't force change upon someone and expect them to willingly accept it. Our nature prevents us from allowing that to happen."

"Sheesh, you sound just like Pyrrha."

"Umm... I'm still here, you know." Johann chimed in. "Zis is nice and all, that you care for zis Jaune fellow, but I have a bomb zat needed to be armed, like yesterday. So if you can speed zis up a bit, I can get back to my verk."

"Bomb? What bomb?" Oobleck asked.

"Heh, heh. It's kind of funny story." Ruby scratched the back of her neck nervously.

"Oh, really? Do tell. I'm sure it's incredibly humorous if it involves a bomb."

"So uh... Johann may or may not have stolen weapon grade plutonium from the white fang and constructed a bomb out of it earlier this morning." Ruby grinned weakly. "Funny, right?"

"Hilarious." Oobleck deadpanned. "Anywho, if said bomb exist, then we shouldn't have anything to worry about. It's not armed, meaning it's no threat to anyone. The problem at hand lies with mister Arc here."

"Do you think you can help?" Ruby looked hopeful.

"Sadly, no, I can't."

"What!? But you're a doctor, aren't you?"

"What kind of doctor do you think I am, Ruby?"

"Um, the doctoring kind?" Ruby's answer cause Oobleck to sigh.

"My Ph.D is what allows me to have the title of doctor." He pointed over to several framed diploma on the wall. "I'm a registered archaeologist and historian as well as a professor, I am not a psychologist, Ruby. I also happen to be a fully licensed minister in all the four kingdoms. But since you two aren't getting married or require an exorcism, that's neither here nor there."

"Wait, you're a minister?" Ruby tilted her head in avid curiosity. "Wouldn't that technically make you Father Oobleck, instead of Doctor Oobleck? Or rather, Father Doctor Oobleck, or Doctor Father Oobleck?"

"Father Oobleck makes me sound old. Doctor Oobleck makes me sound all sophisticated and cool." Oobleck readjusted his glasses.

"Sophisticated, yes, cool, eh... not so sure about that last part." said Ruby. "But if you can't help, do you know anyone else who can? I want to try to keep this under wraps before things get a little crazy."

"Crazier than they are now?"

"Good point."

"Regardless, there is one other person I know who can help." Oobleck frowned. "I'm not sure it's a good idea to bring her up, however."

"Doctor Oobleck, if you know anything at all that would help, please tell me!" Ruby pleaded.

Sighing, Doctor Oobleck walked over to a set of pictures on the mantle of his fireplace. He reached for a specific photo and carried it with him back to the others where he presented it to them. Looking at the picture, Ruby could tell that it was an old family photo of a young Doctor Oobleck and his family. There was his dad, who looked rather plain to be honest, and his mom, who he inherited his wild green hair from, and... another Doctor Oobleck?

"Huh? Why is there two of you?" Ruby asked.

"That, my dear child, is Doctor Oobleck." said Doctor Oobleck. "Or more specifically,  _Dr. Beatrice Oobleck_ , my twin sister."

"You have a twin? What else are you keeping from me?"

"I voiced  _Caboose_  from Red Versus Blue the series."

"Oh my gosh! You're Caboose!" Ruby pointed as her jaw dropped in awe. "You voiced one of the best characters of all time! Wait!" Ruby paused. "I'm getting off topic here. Take me and Johann to your sister."

"Eh... I'm not so sure about that." Oobleck shyed away. "My sister, she's a little, how should I say this... bizarre. In fact, it's been a while since I actually last spoken to her."

"So, my sister's bizarre at times too. Have you seen her try to eat spaghetti through her nose? Blech!"

"Your sister and my sister are two entirely different subjects, Ruby. At a glance, you might not even expect her to be an expert in her field. But she's one of the best there is."

"Which is all the more reason for me to find her!"

"Alright, but I'm coming with you. She's a very busy woman and only takes appointments. She'll make an exception for family though. Give me a second to change." Doctor Oobleck darted up his stairs in a pink blur and immediately came straight down dressed in his appropriate business attire. "I didn't make you wait long, did I?"

"Not long enough. Come on, let's get going."

"Hold on, let me call the school first. We wouldn't want any bad marks on our attendance now, do we? Because I have a feeling that this might take a while."

"Just meet us outside when you're done. Come on, Johann. We're going on a little field trip."

* * *

Half an hour later, the little trio stood before massive building deep in the very heart of Vale. It was a building not unlike the Schnee Dust Company towering skyscraper. It was massive, imposing, and held a sense of grandeur that was only accentuated by its roman architectural design. Or at least it would've been, were it not for a peculiar set windows with pink floral curtains far up around the twentieth floor.

"There it is, my sister's workplace. The Vale Health and Rehabilitation Center. Home to some of the best advances in medicinal science, master surgeons, and celebrity washouts who had succumbed to the thralls of the media. We'll find Beatrice here." said Oobleck.

Together they entered into the building's foyer. Inside, it was sleek and modernistic, expertly juxtaposed with organic shapes and warm colors as to make one feel less stuffy and uncomfortable in a healing environment. Walking up to the receptionist desk, Oobleck ringed the bell. Turning around from her swivel chair, a bored looking receptionist glances over the three while absently picking at her long nails.

"Hello, and welcome to the Vale Health and Rehabilitation Center. Home to some of the best advances in medicinal science, master surgeons, and celebrity washouts who had succumbed to the thralls of the media. How may I help you?" She drawled.

"Hello there, I would like to speak to a Dr. Oobleck, please." said Oobleck.

"Do you have any appointment?"

"No bu-"

"Then please schedule an appointment with me and I'll see if I can pencil you into her schedule in the next three to six months."

"We don't have three to six months! Listen here..." Oobleck read her name tag. "Susan. Can you just call her and tell her that ' _Bart_ ' is here to visit?"

"..." Sighing, the receptionist picked up the phone and began dialing Dr. Oobleck. "Hello. Yes, I know you're in a session right now but a man and his kids here really wants to see you."

"They're not my kids! How old do you think I am?"

"Old enough to be the father of these two kids." Susan retorted before turning back to the phone. "Uh huh. Mmhmm. He's starting to get a little rowdy. Yes, I understand. I'll call security right away ma'am." The trio reeled back in a flash of panic. "Oh, and he says that Bart has come to visit."

"What!" The trio heard a voice shout with such volume from the other end of the phone.

"Uh huh, mmhmm. Alright." Susan put the phone down. "Dr. Oobleck will see you now. Take the elevator down the hall and go up to floor twenty two. You'll find her office there."

"Thank you. We'll be on our way now." With that, the three left for a long elevator right where they could finally collect their thoughts after nearly being manhandled by a security force.

* * *

"So... vat's your sister like?" Johann asked.

"Yeah, tell me a bit about her." said Ruby.

"Well, being twins, people usually think that we're the same. But that's far from the actual truth." said Oobleck. "I took after my father, striving for the pursuit of knowledge and fighting for what's right as a hunter. Beatrice took after our mother. She pursued a career in medicine, hoping to improve the lives of other with her expertise in the fields of psychology, neurology and biochemistry. The same can also said about our personalities."

"Soooo... what does that say about her?" Ruby asked just as the elevator stopped on floor twenty two. The moment the door opened, a green blur entered the elevator and assaulted Doctor Oobleck with a powerful tackle. Johann and Ruby hopped away slightly after seeing the aggressor pin Oobleck down to the floor.

"Bart!"

"Ugh! It's good to see you again, Beatrice." Oobleck strained from beneath his sister's bone crushing hug. "If you would please loosen your grip, I can get some air into my lungs..."

The woman in question did look like a spitting image of Doctor Oobleck. If Oobleck was a woman and had long wavy hair. But that was where the physical differences end. Both of them were very tall and lanky, both of them wore round rimmed glasses, both their hair was green, and both of them seemed to have a taste for coffee, as evident by the smell of hazelnut roast that was wafting off Beatrice Oobleck's hair.

"Nuh uh! This is the first time I've talked to you in months, and I am not letting go!" Beatrice tightened her grip even more, causing Bart to turn a rich shade of blue.

"Beatrice, please!" Oobleck struggled to speak as he felt his consciousness wane.

"Yeah, can you please not kill him?" Ruby jumped in as she tried to pry away Doctor Oobleck's sister from choking the life out of him.

"Who are you two, his kids?"

"Wha? No! How old do you think we are?" Ruby snapped.

"Old enough to be his secret teenage daughter and son." Beatrice retorted. "Speaking of which, did you get hitched without me knowing? Did you hide them from me for all these years? I could've been an aunt!"

"Honestly, why does everyone keep thinking they're my kids? We look absolutely nothing alike." Oobleck choked out. "Come on, ease up on the hugging, sis. I'll explain everything in your office."

"Oh, alright." Beatrice let go Oobleck go as he began to greedily take in the oxygen for his deprived lungs.

"Thank you. But please, can I just have a regular hug next time?" Oobleck asked as he got up and dusted himself off.

"Aw, but you used to like it back when we were little." Beatrice pouted.

"I prefer it when I see it coming, thank you very much. Now, about that problem of ours."

"Sure thing! Just follow me back to my office." Beatrice guided them.

Now that Johann and Ruby got a good look at Beatrice, they noticed that she dressed rather, eccentrically for a leading psychologist. Instead of a lab coat and some casual clothing, she was clothed in a long yellow sundress that had white and black polka dots all over it. Not only that, she was also wearing a wide array of bone and mineral jewelry around her neck, wrists and ears. Not to mention that her carefree personality was definitely a far cry from Oobleck's more professional one.

"Vas zis what you meant by ve wouldn't know at a glance?" Johann asked.

"Yes. Both she and my mother are incredibly free spirited individuals, who values nature and freedom above all else. They would go on hikes and spirit journeys to become one with nature while me and dad would dig up old junk. Not to mention they both have very strange taste in clothing."

"Sooo... she's a hippie then?" said Ruby.

"I prefer the term, nature lover." said Oobleck.

"Anywho, I hope she has the solution that I'm looking for..." said Ruby as they all entered Beatrice's extravagant office.


	11. Freud or Fraud?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beatrice attempts to assist Johann.

Beatrice's office wasn't exactly something that you'd expect from one of the best psychologist in Remnant. Heck, the trio were even starting to question whether or not this was an actual office, or the chocolate room from Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.

For one, Beatrice like plants, a lot. Like, alot, alot. Up on the many shelves and around each and every corner were potted plants and hanging gardens that ranged from roses, to daisies, and tulips, to more foreign species such as hydrangeas, venus fly traps, bamboo shoots and even hemp. The trio felt as if they'd stepped into a small forest that was a hotbed for floral diversity.

The walls were all painted in a vibrant shade of electric orange, with yellow polka dots and blue streaks. There were no chairs, no desk, or even anything even remotely resembling furniture. Instead, there were exotic looking pillows placed all over the floor of varying shapes and sizes, each looking so soft and fluffy to sit on.

Then there was her carpet. It wasn't a dull color like black or brown or even gray. They were mix of several warm earth tones. Dark greens, reds, and yellows, all set up in a spiral pattern that looked like field of grass and flowers.

Over by the windows, everyone can see the out of place pink floral patterned curtains that was visible from the outside. There was also a small shrine nearby that was adorned with all sorts of baubles and ancient looking trinkets around it, with a burning incense candle near the shrine that was filling the room with a soothing lavender and pumpkin spice aroma. The room itself may be a little impractical as an office, but for Beatrice, it worked all the same.

"Everyone! Welcome, to my home, slash, office!" Beatrice announced with a twirl of her body. "It is here where all the healing is done, and where I am at one with nature within the heart of the concrete jungle!"

"It's very... uh, um. Very unique!" Ruby grinned weakly. "Yeah, definitely unique. Totally not the home of a crazy person at all! Yup!"

"Thank you!" Beatrice beamed. "Now, wait here while I prepare you all a place to sit. I'll be right back!" With that, Beatrice darted into her office and began to rapidly rearrange the pillows in a way that she thought would create positive energy in the environment without disrupting the feng shui.

"Doctor Oobleck, are you sure your sister's really a professional psychologist?" Ruby whispered to Oobleck. "She looks a little cuckoo in the coconut. Er... no offense."

"Don't judge a book by its cover, Ruby." replied Oobleck. "You're looking at the woman who holds more awards for psychiatric and neurobiological discoveries than there are plants in this room."

"You're clearly exaggerating." said Johann.

"Yeah. If she's got so many awards, where are they?" Ruby asked.

"Why, she's wearing them right now." Oobleck pointed to his sister. "She's not one for material possession or accolades, so she smelts them down whenever she gets the chance to and turns them into earthenware jewelry. Plaques, trophies, medals, you name it. She's turned them all into a bracelet, necklace or earring at one point in time."

"And the one's made out of bones?" Ruby raised an eyebrow.

"Beatrice believes in a sustainable lifestyle." Oobleck explained. "Aside from all the edible plants here, I'd wager she somehow convinced management to allow her to build a small farm here, with chickens, and pigs, presumably way up on the roof. You do the math about where she gets those bones from."

"Huh, you'd think she wouldn't have the time for that, being a big shot psychologist and everything."

"Well, that's my sister for you." Oobleck adjusted his glasses. "Quick as a whip, she is. Although, the whip does tend to get tangled at times. More often than not..."

"Yoohoo! Bart! Over here!" said Beatrice from across the room. She was currently sitting atop a pillow on the floor, patting the pillow next to her and urging for everyone to sit down. They complied and each found a pillow to sit on, shifting around in their seat to find a comfortable spot before turning their attention to Beatrice.

* * *

"Oh! This is so exciting!" Beatrice exclaimed. "I can't believe you just showed up out of the blue like that, Bart! You must've really missed me. I cleared up my entire schedule today just so we can hang out! So, do you have any stories to share with me mister big time hunter?" She nudged Ooblecks arm.

"Beatrice, I would love to spend my day with you, but my student here," Oobleck pointed to Ruby, "miss Ruby Rose has a bit of a dilemma. And I was wondering if you can help out."

"Oh! She's your student. Ah, I see know." Beatrice smiled. "Don't know why I thought she was your daughter. Hmm... I assume the boy is also your student?"

"That is correct."

"Alright, I'll help. Only because of you. But in return, I want to spend the rest of the day with you. We never hang out anymore." Beatrice pouted.

"Fair enough." Oobleck nodded "I could use a day off from Beacon, after being awoken so early in the morning." He fixed his gaze towards Ruby, who simply let out a half hearted chuckle. "And you look like you could use some time away from all these drug addled celebrities and stuffy surgeons."

"Oh, like you wouldn't believe!" Beatrice clapped her hands together. "Alright little girly. My darling twin brother went to a lot of trouble for me to help you. Heck, I nearly had him thrown out by security! So explain the issue to me in ten words or less, or else you and your friend over there are getting the boot."

"What!?" Ruby exclaimed.

"Up-bup-bup! Nine words left! Make my time worth it, miss Rose." Beatrice warned. Ruby wanted to shout, but she knew she couldn't screw up now. She sighed and conceded.

"I accidentally gave my friend multiple personalities. Help me." Ruby explained to the best of her abilities.

"...Excuse me?" Beatrice raised her eyebrow, becoming extremely focused. "You don't just give people multiple personalities. Not unless you induced one into this person's mind through some sort of outer medium."

"About that..." Ruby twiddled her fingers. "Have you ever heard of the 3-D hypno ring?"

"From the Captain Underpants series?"

"Wait, you know about Captain Underpants?"

"I do, in fact. It's one my most favorite book series of all time." Beatrice stated as a matter o' factly. "It came packaged with a special version of the fifth book; wrath of the wicked wedgie woman. Although, I don't understand what it has to do with... Oh, Monty. Miss Rose, you didn't." Ruby nodded slowly. "I don't know how you pulled it off. It was just supposed to be a novelty toy for people who liked the book."

"Maybe I'm gifted?" Ruby gave a half hearted shrug.

"More like reckless." Beatrice rubbed her temples. "Miss Rose, if you have read the book series, then you would know how much trouble George Beard and Harold Hutchin got into when they hypnotized their principal into becoming Captain Underpant. Especially in the fifth book when they hypnotized their teacher into becoming a villainess."

"You tell me. I was surprised I even got the thing to work."

"And now your friend is suffering from multiple personality disorder. Alright, tell me. Who's the one you want me to look over?"

"Johann."

"Me?" Johann stared at Ruby with a bemused look on his face.

"Him?" Beatrice asked.

"I believe she is mistakened." Johann started. "You want a guy named Jaune. He's the one with multiple personality disorder."

"Uh huh." Beatrice nodded. "Mister Johann. I'm gonna have word with you in a few minutes. Please, go to the room by the end of the hall on the right. Wait there until I show up. Okay?"

"Pfft. Ordnung, but once I'm done, I'm going back straight back to Beacon to arm ze bomb. " With that said, he stood up and left, leaving Beatrice to ponder on what he just said.

"Bomb? Beatrice blinked. "What bomb?"

"Yeah... don't ask about that." said Ruby.

"She's right, Beatrice." said Oobleck. "Best not to question her already questionable judgement skills. It's kind of her thing."

"Um... I'll take your word for it, Bart." Beatrice turned to Ruby and cleared her throat. "Ahem. Now, Ruby. Tell me about your friend's main personality. Then tell me about his current personality and mental state of mind if there are more than one."

"Well, the main one, or rather, the original personality was Jaune. Jaune Arc. He was a cool guy who thought he was a hit with the ladies, bit of a goof, but he's also the most gentlest souls I know. The guy could weather a storm if he tried. The sad part is that he kind of had a defeatist attitude. He always thought so lowly of himself that it was starting to affect his day to day life. That's the reason why I, er... hypnotized him. To make him think better of himself."

"I'm sure you had all the best intentions, miss Rose. But multiple personality disorder, while not life threatening or dangerous, could make life a bit more difficult for everyone."

"You don't say." Ruby grimaced, thinking about both Pyrrha and her sister's experience when Juan was around. Pyrrha was hearthbroken, and now Yang is deeply infatuated with Juan, who no longer exist. Heartbreak was sure to follow if everyone found out about Johann.

"Now, about the others?"

"Oh, right." Ruby snapped out of her stupor. "The first one was Juan. He was a smooth talking casanova who could speak spanish. Made every girl he looked at fall for him at first sight. Then there's the one you met. He calls himself, Johann. He can talk in german and is pretty smart from what I've seen."

"Hmm, two extra personalities, with unique quirks to boot. Well, this isn't the worst case I've tackled, but who knows. The human mind is a complex thing, and I'm prone to surprises." Beatrice stood up. "You too wait here and enjoy some of the berries around here. Give me half an hour, and I'll tell you what you need to know." She then turned around and went down the hall to where Johann was waiting.

* * *

Twenty nine minutes in, Oobleck and Ruby were just resting idly on the floor of Beatrice's office/home. Oobleck was busy examining the wide variety of plants that his sister had procured while Ruby snacked on a blackberry.

"Huh, berries don't taste as good when you know you're the cause of your friend's mental disorder." Ruby moped.

"Ah, come now. Cheer up, child. I'm sure my sister has a solution. Why do you think so many people want to see her on a daily basis. She's that good." Oobleck tried to cheer her up.

"Really?" Ruby looked hopeful.

"Yup. But if worst comes to worst, mister Arc would probably have to get a  _lobotomy_."

"What!? A lobotomy!?" Ruby's expression immediately shifted to abject terror as she nearly choked on a berry.

"Yeah, they'll put him under and stick ice picks beneath his eye and poke at his brain with a hammer. Like watching a sculptor work on a whole block of solid white marble. It's quite entertaining to watch if I do say so myself. Say, have you ever seen a live surgery in the observation room before? It's very exhilarating to see them up clos-"

"Doctor Oobleck, you're not helping!" Ruby cried.

"Really? I'd thought telling you about all the possible outcomes would make you feel better."

"Not when one of those outcomes turn my friend into an emotionless zombie!" Ruby grabbed at Ooblecks shirt collar and pulled him close. "I don't want to have that on my conscience, doc! I can't! I'll never be able to eat again without having the guilt eat away at me like a starved rat. A STARVED RAT!"

"Oi! Who's talking about food and rats in my home?" said Beatrice as she and Johann entered the room again. "Hey you two, I'm back!"

"So?" Ruby asked as she shot up and sped over to her. "What did you learn and how can I help to turn him back to normal?"

"Whoa, easy there, child. I'll tell you. Calm down." Beatrice pulled out a clipboard and ruffled through the sheets. "My diagnosis of Johann tells me that his mind is perfectly intact."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning he thinks everything about him is the true self. That he has never had nor ever believes he could develop a split personality. He is one hundred percent normal. Albeit, with a surprisingly high intellect. That, or he just likes using a lot of ten dollar words in german to make himself look smart."

"Ja. Zat's right. Though, I don't know vhy you made me play twenty question for zat, fraulein." said Johann as she pulled out a lollipop from his pocket. "Least she gave me a lutscher for my troubles. Mmm, kirsche flavor. Today is going to be a good day, I just know it." He had a content look on his face.

"Keep going doc, please." Ruby urged.

"If you say so." Beatrice adjusted her glasses. "Now, while his psyche is normal, or as normal as can be bringing into account your friend's condition, his brain activity is showing several abnormalities."

"Is it bad?"

"Not necessarily. It won't kill him or permanently damage his mind if that's what you were asking. Using that ring of yours and the power of suggestion, you somehow caused his brain to go into overdrive to cope with all the new information being presented to him. Because of that, his brain is working hard to be what he think he is."

"But all I did was tell him to have a better outlook on life!"

"Hmm. That's too broad of a statement. Perhaps having a better outlook in life meant pursuing love, or using his intellect for the betterment of others. Hence the Juan and Johann personas. His brain didn't know what you meant, so it created these two to 'fill in the gaps' so to speak." She used air quotes.

"Is there any good news, at least?"

"Well, when I was questioning Johann, he seemed ready to answer a question, only to hesitate slightly before answering. Almost as if he wasn't sure himself. Not only that, he would occasionally break his speech pattern and speak differently for a question that was particularly personal." Beatrice set her clipboard aside. "Ruby. Jaune is still in there. His mind remembers who he is and is fighting for dominance."

"Really?" Ruby's eyes widened.

"Really." Beatrice nodded. "However, the current personality is subconsciously repressing it so it can't come back. All you have to do is aid in the process of remembering who he is, and the rest should come back to him naturally. Oof!" She grunted as she was tackled by Ruby full force and brought into a warm hug.

"Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyou, Doctor Oobleck!" Ruby spoke at a million miles an hour. "Thank you so much! I thought I was gonna lose Jaune forever!"

"It's alright, dear. I was only doing my job." Beatrice patted Ruby on the head and peeled the girl off of her. "And now, I believe you should do yours. Stay in school, eat your vegetables, go to bed before nine, and help your friend to remember who he is."

"I will! Except maybe not the vegetable and the bedtime thing." Ruby waved it off. "Did you hear that Johann? You're gonna be back to normal!"

"Huh? Vat? I was too busy enjoying this lollipop to hear your entire conversation." said Johann was he crunched on the lollipop and chucked the stick into a nearby wastebin. "Anyvay, are ve done yet? Cause I really vant to head back to Beacon so zat I can finally complete ze bo-mmphf, mmphf?"

"Ha, ha, ha! Oh, Johann, you are such a hilarious guy! A hilarious guy who should stop bringing up the bomb..." Ruby quickly slapped her hand over Johann's mouth, ignoring the suspicious looks that overcame Beatrice and Bartholomew Oobleck.

"Oh, gee! Would you look at the time. We would love to stay and hang out with you two but we should really be heading back to Beacon right about now." Ruby spoke in a very unconvincing manner as she began to shove Johann out of the office. She opened the door and forcibly pushed Johann out, an audible thud echoing into the room as Ruby slowly slipped outside.

"Thank you again for helping me out when I needed you the most, Doctor Oobleck, and thank you Doctor Oobleck for helping me with Johann. You are a saint, even if I thought you were a crazy person. Have fun on your day off you two! Don't do anything too wild you crazy kids! Bye!" The moment she finished, she slammed the door behind her and darted off with Johann towards the elevator and headed straight back to Beacon.

"Huh. Such a strange girl." said Beatrice. "She reminds me of me."

"Like Remnant can handle two Beatrices." Oobleck joked, earning a laugh from his sister. Mid laugh, however, she stopped when she realized she forgot one very important detail.

"Oh, my. I forgot to tell her that if she uses the ring on her friend again, she could run the risk of creating another personality."

"Another? Theoretically speaking, how many can she possibly make?" Oobleck asked concernedly. Beatrice turned to her brother, eyes steeled and full of seriousness as she spoke.

"The possibilities, my dear brother, are _infinite_..." Oobleck let her words sink in slowly before she swapped back to her floaty personality again. "So! How about some ice cream and a trip to the shopping mall?"


	12. Paranoia and Panic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johann's project goes missing, Yang and Blake confront Ruby.

Yang sat in class with her chin rested in the palm of her hand as she subconsciously tuned out Professor Port's incessant chatter about a time long since past his prime. How a man his age can speak for so long about his youth without passing out was a mystery to everyone, including the staff. Long winded speeches aside, she hasn't seen Juan or Ruby at all today. It was already nine o' clock, and there was still no sign of them.

She'd expected to wake up in the morning, all refreshed and raring to go, and meet up with her new boyfriend to have breakfast together. Heck, maybe they'd even enter the stage of their relationship where they feed each other and call each other by their incredibly sappy nicknames. To her surprise, however, Juan was nowhere to be found. Not even his roommates knew where he had went. And to top it all off, Ruby was missing as well.

Come to think of it, Ruby looked awfully nervous earlier today. It was by chance that she woke up when she did, otherwise she wouldn't have even seen Ruby. Her bed was dry, thank Monty above, so it wasn't about the bedwetting thing. But what was so important that she had to rush out of the dorm around the farmer's hour for fresh air? Unless...

No. No, it couldn't be. Her mind's just jumping to conclusion. But, by some astronomical chance, could it be that her own sister, her own flesh and blood, the girl she practically raised whenever their parents or other relatives weren't around, be  _conspiring against her_  behind her back? Conspiring to take Juan away from her? No, that's nonsense. Or is it? Yes, it was. But, the clues, they were all there.

Juan not being there when she woke up. Ruby acting all nervous and deflecting suspicion away from herself early in the morn right before she left for some fresh air. Sure, it could've been a mild coincidence that they happen to both be gone today, but her gut says otherwise. That, and she could really use some lunch right about now.

Yang knitted her brow. She desperately wanted her suspicions to be wrong. She wanted them to be wrong so badly that she was willing to take them by the metaphorical collar and pound them into the dirt relentlessly until they passed through the planet's core and reach the other end of the globe.

Giving herself some reprieve from her volatile thoughts, Yang eventually found out something about herself. She was the jealous type. In all her years of reading trashy romance novels and watching terrible romantic comedies, never in her life would she ever think of herself as the one who couldn't take the concept of letting her man be around another girl. And that scared her, because her sister was involved.

On second thought, perhaps it wasn't so surprising that she was the jealous type after recounting how many female heads she had to knock around during the brawl yesterday. But still, she wouldn't do anything drastic, would she?

Yang scrunched her face up in annoyance. All this extreme thinking was starting to get to her. She can take being the jealous type, but she would never forgive herself if she blew up on her little sister over a hunch that had every chance to be false. Relaxing her expression, she sighed and tried to rethink it all over.

Ruby was still a budding teenager at the ripe age of fifteen. Now if she knew her sister, which she did, she knew that Ruby was a snarling gun nut. Her love for her weapon and customizing said weapon was only dwarfed by the love she carried for her older sister, cookies, and the Captain Underpants novels. Boys should definitely be the last thing in her mind, so she could rule out the possibility that Ruby ran off with her boyfriend of only one day.

The question still remains; where are Juan and Ruby, and what are they doing right now?

* * *

"Wah! Where'd it go!? WHERE'D IT GO!" Ruby screamed in a panicked fit as she frantically tore at her hair. "The bomb! It was right here! How on earth does a bomb go missing!"

Ruby and Johann had just gotten back from Beatrice's place, arriving at Beacon only mere minutes ago. The first priority of course was to get the bomb Johann made and dismantle it as soon as possible. Too bad they can't seem to find it.

Ruby scanned over the pile of junk that Johann was working with hours ago. It had been cordoned off with orange tape, meaning someone already stumbled onto Johann's project, but it was vacant for the most part now that classes were in session. Most everything was still there, scrap metal and all. But perhaps the most jarring of absences was the hog sized bomb that was suppose to be there when they left earlier that today. It was missing, possibly stolen even.

"What are we gonna do?" Ruby continued with her freakout. "Okay, let's calm down. Let's not panic. Let's not panic!" She grabbed Johann by the collar of his shirt and pulled him close to where he could see the crazy glimmer in her silver eyes. "I said don't panic, Johann! What did I just tell you! Stop panicking, man! KEEP IT TOGETHER!"

"Beruhigen, fraulein." said Johann as he calmly pulled Ruby's hands away from him. "Take deep breathes."

"How on earth can you be so calm!" Ruby exclaimed. "There is a bomb out there!"

"Ja. Und as I've said time und time again, ze bomb ist not armed. Es ist of no threat to anyone.  _Yet_."

"But what could've happened to it?" Ruby spoke in exasperation, trying to steady her rattled nerves. "It's not like this kind of thing could go unnoticed. I mean, who could miss a literal scrap yard and a bomb shaped bomb in the middle of campus!"

"Shh... ruhig. I'm trying to think." Johann kneeled on one leg and thoroughly examined the scene of the crime with his keen eyes. Slowly trailing his eyes across the concrete, he eventually spotted something that didn't belong there. "There, do you see it?" He pointed.

"What? What?" Ruby crouched low beside him. "What am I suppose to be looking for?"

"Right next to ze pebble by ze tarp, there ist a single hair." Johann picked up the hair and held it up to the light. It was white in color, and was fairly short. "If I were a genius, which I am, zen es ist a safe bet to say zat zis ist not ordinary hair. Es ist fur, to be precise. From ze tail of a wolf faunus, I presume, around twenty to thirty years of age." He twirled the strand of fur in his fingers.

"Whoa, you're going all crime scene investigation on me here, Johann." Ruby looked genuinely impressed. Having a genius level intellect within the personality, even if she didn't have the slightest clue as to how she actually gave it to him in the first place, was definitely handy to have around. "Go on. What else can you tell me about this... thing."

"Hmmm." Johann licked the fur.

"Eww... that was on the ground." Ruby cringed at the unsanitary action.

"I taste...  _sulfur_." Johann smacked his lips a few times. "No, wait. I also taste...  _coal_ , and...  _limestone_?"

"How do you even know what each of those taste like?" Ruby raised her eyebrow in curiosity.

"Zat doesn't matter. What does matter ist zat zis faunus spent a lot of time in a mine somewhere, mainly underground where these precious resources are located."

"Soooo..." Ruby drawled. "We're looking for some sort of faunus miner?"

"No. Ze white fang facility I went to for ze plutonium had its base of operation centered around an abandoned mineshaft forty miles due north."

"Near the edge of the mountains?" Ruby raised her eyebrow. "Wait, you're not seriously implying the white fang came by and stole your bomb made from stolen goods, does it?"

"Zat ist precisely vat I am implying, fraulein. They must've tracked me down, disguised in civilian clothing, and swiped ze bomb along with ze plutonium when the coast was clear."

"More business with the white fang, just great." Ruby pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed heavily. "We have to go after them. If the white fang find a way to arm that bomb, we could be looking at a major disaster here."

"But, Ruby, the bomb i-"

"No buts! School will have to wait for today. We're going to find that bomb, and we're going to recycle it before things spiral out of control!"

"What!" A new voice shouted from out of the nearby bushes.

* * *

"Hwuah!? Who's there!" Ruby reached for a nearby piece of junk, an old dented frying pan, and flung it straight at the bush, eliciting a cry of pain from someone inside and a satisfying clunk to echo into the air. "Yes! Score!"

"Ah!" Blake doubled over and fell out of the bush, rubbing the sore lump that would soon form atop her sensitive noggin. "Sheesh. You've got quite a throwing arm there, Ruby."

"Blake? What are you doing out of class?"

"It's passing period, Ruby." replied Blake as she stood up and dusting all the leaves and dirt off of her uniform. "And your sister kind of pulled me with her to, er... spy on you. Even though I told her this was a bad idea in the first place..."

"What!? Yang's here too?" Ruby's eyes widened as Yang also crawled out of the bushes, twigs and leaves tangled in her golden locks as she looked over her sister with an awkward smile.

"Heh, heh. Hey, Rubes... how ya doing?" said Yang with a weak smile.

"You were spying on me, why? When?" Ruby impatiently tapped her foot with an irate scowl on her face.

"Uh... Just right now since I saw you, and because I was worried for you?" Yang kept her smile.

"Hmph. That would've worked on me yesterday, but not today. Answer me, Yang. Why were you spying on me." Ruby asked a bit more forcefully. Yang conceded to her sister's growing irritation, and let out a deep sigh.

"I... I thought you were going try and take Juan from me..." Yang answered with a shameful droop of the head. "I got this silly notion stuck in my head during class that I thought you snuck out with Juan this morning to try and steal him away from me, so I dragged Blake with me to spy on you. And, well, here we are now. There, I said it... Are you mad?"

"N-no. Not really." Ruby simmered down. "I'm not angry that you spied on me, I'm angry that you'd think I'd do something so hurtful to you. And I'm not trying to steal your boyfriend! Look, I forgive you, but please, now is really not the best time to get all mushy and stuff. We've got to stop the white fang!"

"The white fang have acquired a bomb, right?" Blake cut in.

"How much of the conversation did you hear?" Ruby snapped straight to Blake.

"Only the last part. But it's more than enough for us to play hooky." said Yang as she cracked her knuckles. "Sounds like those troublemakers are at it again. We got to put a stop to them before it's too late." She turned to Johann. "Whaddaya say, cutie?"

"I say, if you're so insistent on stopping these terrorist, zen ve are going to need our veapons." said Johann.

"Why're you talking so funny, Juan?" Yang asked, both intrigued and perplexed by Juan's new accent. "I don't think it's sexy at all."

"Juan? Who's Juan?" Johann raised his eyebrow.

"Uh oh..." Ruby groaned.


	13. Penny For Your Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang and Blake learn the truth, they join Ruby on her mission to disable Johann's bomb.

Yang felt her heart quiver upon Johann's confusion at being called Juan. Clearly she must've heard wrong, or something must be off with her boyfriend. Raising her hand up to Johann's forehead, she checked his temperature to see if he wasn't running a high fever. His head was warm, but it nothing to be worried about. That still doesn't explain why he didn't know his own name.

"Juan, are you sure you're feeling alright?" Yang spoke softly.

"I'm operating at maximum capacity, fraulein." Johann brushed Yang's hand away. "But my welfare is not of our concern at ze moment."

"Yes, it is, Juan." Yang urged. "You're not well, you aren't acting like yourself."

"I told you, I am fine. Und mein name ist nicht Juan, est ist Johann. Besides, vhy do you care about my health?"

"I'm your girlfriend, I'm suppose to care!" Yang shouted.

"You are? I don't remember getting together vith you." With that, Yang's heart dropped straight into the pit of her stomach, and something in the very depths of her psyche snapped like a twig. Gritting her teeth, she swung around and scooped Ruby up in the air, bringing her face to face with her as she wore a creepy twitching smile on her face. "Ruby?" Yang spoke in a cheerfully threatening manner.

"Y-yes, Yang?" Ruby fearfully answered as Yang's palpable aura of indignation and irritation grow exponentially.

"Tell me, what happened to my boyfriend?" Yang kept her eerie smile on her face. It looked as if it were crudely painted onto her face to hide the seething scowl festering underneath.

"I... uh, um... What was the question again?" Ruby asked sheepishly. Yang dropped Ruby back to the ground and started to pinch and stretch at her sister's cheeks. "Ow, ow, owwie!"

"You heard me, dear sister... what happened to my boyfriend." Yang asked again, enunciating each and every syllable with a painful pinch of the cheek, never losing the false smile she wore. "You were with him earlier, weren't you? You know what happened, don't you? Come on, tell you sweet older sister."

"Uh... Yang, I don't think pinching Ruby's going to hel-" Blake tried to intervene, but shut her mouth immediately after hearing Yang's head creak around a full ninety degrees, her glassy crazed filled eyes meeting her own. "Carry on."

"Now, where we we?" Yang turned her attention back to Ruby, who was starting to lose feeling in her supple cheeks. "You were going to tell me something, Ruby?"

"If I tell you, can you promise me you won't freak out?" Ruby mentally slapped herself for that statement. Her sister was totally going to freak. Still, a verbal confirmation might soften the blow, if only slightly.

"I... wouldn't dream of it." Yang's eye twitched.

"So, heh heh, funny story." Ruby started. "A couple days ago, I, just me and no one else, yup, just me and only me, wanted to try and cheer Jaune up." She deliberately left Pyrrha out.

"So, using the power of the 3-D hypno ring from my Captain Underpants books, I, get this, hypnotized Jaune into having a better outlook in life. Thus, a personality calling himself Juan came to be! And then you hooked up with him, and I tried to change Juan back to being Jaune again, only for another personality calling himself Johann to show up. Funny, right?" Ruby mentally slapped herself again. Her explanation was poorly worded.

"..." Yang remained silent and pulled her hands away from Ruby face. Ruby rubbed at her reddened cheeks, trying to see if she can feel anything anymore after that attack on her face. Left in a catatonic state, Blake seized the opportunity to step in to speak with Ruby and her absurd notion.

"You mean to tell us that you hypnotized, Jaune, making him think he's another person, and that you did it with some sort of ring that you got from that toilet book you read? Do you honestly expect us to believe that?"

"Not, really." said Ruby. "I was planning on waiting until after this whole mess was cleaned up to tell you, Yang, Weiss, and team JNPR. This is a serious problem, Blake. I had to go to Doctor Oobleck, who took me to another Doctor Oobleck, his crazy hippie twin sister by the way, who happens to be a famous psychologist just to find a way to cure him!"

"...Doctor Oobleck has a twin?" Blake blinked.

"Yeah, I know. Weird."

"Um, madchen?" Johann spoke up. "The bomb? Are we going to get the white fang or not?"

"In a moment, Johann!" Ruby shouted before turning back to Blake. "Listen, I have had a really, reeeeeeally stressful morning. I messed with powers beyond my own mortal comprehension, unknowingly wiped Jaune from existence, and now I have to deal with Johann and the bomb that he frankensteined today."

"Wait, wait. Back up a bit. The bomb that the white fang stole was made by Juan, or Jaune? This is kind of confusing." Blake rubbed at her head. "Okay, if you did hypnotize Jaune into gaining a new personality, which I'm saying you're not, then who is he now?"

"He's Johann. A hyper intelligent german mad scientist from what I can understand of the time spent with him."

"I still don't believe you." Blake deadpanned. "Jaune could barely grasp the concept that pick up lines don't work on girls. How on earth did he manage to construct a bomb, of all things?"

"From the junk pile behind us and some plutonium he stole from the white fang." Ruby replied a matter o' factly.

"..."

"Yeah, I don't know how either, but it's better to just run with it. Don't want to get a brain aneurysm now do we?"

"...Fine, you know what. I'll believe your crazy story for now, only because there is a threat at hand. Grab your sister, we're getting our stuff, and we're heading out immediately."

"What about, Weiss?"

"She'll have to sit this one out. It'll be too much of a hassle to try and pull her out of class and bother her with all this nonsense..."

* * *

After a quick change of clothes and equipment, Ruby, Blake, Johann, and a barely functioning Yang all boarded the nearest Bullhead they could find and flew off into Vale where they intend to reach the mountains by foot. On the way, Ruby, who took her hypno ring with her, tried her best to fully explain the Jaune situation again to Blake without sounding like a complete and total nutcase.

"...In a nutshell, that's what happened." Ruby let out an exasperated sigh. "Something tells me I'm gonna get real sick of explaining everything again."

"How on earth did you, of all people in Remnant, successfully hypnotize an individual without training nor skill using a cheap plastic ring from a crude children's novel?" Blake asked disbelievingly. "It just doesn't make any sense."

"Blake, my whole day so far has been a rollercoaster of confusion. I think you'd at least have the common courtesy to humor me and my woeful plight."

"I do, I just don't feel like it at the moment." Blake glanced behind her to see Yang trailing them. She still hadn't said anything since she was hit with a terrible revelation. All she did was stay behind Johann, her eyes fixated on the back of his head with a thousand yard stare that could make even the most traumatized of war vets wary of her mental state of mind. "Your sister's taking this pretty hard."

"I know, I know." Ruby's shoulders slumped. "I didn't want to smash my sister's heart into tiny little pieces, but it had to be done, whether I liked it or not. I needed to bring back Jaune."

"You've only known him for a semester. Does he mean that much to you? So much that you're willing to go to the ends of the earth to cure him of him illness? Seems like you could be using that effort for something more productive."

"Friends don't let friends stay in a hypnotized state and live false lives, Blake. The sooner you know that, the sooner you can leave that cynical attitude of yours behind."

"Sheesh, look at me. I'm being lectured by a girl who can shovel mountains of cookies into her gullet without passing out. But, I guess that's why you're our wise leader."

"You're darn tootin that why I'm the leader! Oof!" Ruby grunted as she fell back onto her rump after hitting something hard. "Hey, who put a statue here!"

"Greetings, friend Ruby! Greeting, Blake! Greetings, Yang! Greetings stranger!" A familiar voice of curiosity spoke up.

"Bwuah? Penny?" Ruby stared at the android.

It had been a while since the two had last met, and also when Penny revealed to Ruby that she was not at all human. Rather, she a unique android, or synthetic if you prefer the term, who could bear and control aura. The very first of her kind, in fact.

Standing over Ruby was an utter breakthrough in science and machinery, but most of all that was blurred by the fact that she was merely a curious teenage girl with average teenage problems. Only Ruby knew of her secrets, and she'd promised to keep it.

"Hey, you're that girl that we met back then." said Blake. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm browsing the local clothing establishments and enjoying the eateries. Have any of you tried this frozen dairy treat called ice cream? It is sensational!" Penny exclaimed with awkward ecstatic appeal.

"Uh..." Blake backed away slightly.

"Oh! Let me assist you, Ruby." Penny bent over and helped Ruby back onto her feet.

"Thanks, Penny." Ruby dusted herself off. "It's been nice running into you, but my friends and I really need to go somewhere right now."

"Well, where are you going? Surely I can guide you there. I have a great sense of direction!" And it's not because Penny's artificial intelligence is linked to a global positioning satellite way up in space.

"No, no, it's fine. We'd rather not get you involved. It's sort of a serious matter." said Blake.

"Acknowledged. Then may I assist Yang?" Penny asked. "She appears to be exhibiting symptoms of extreme shock and post traumatic stress disorder."

"Eh... she'll be fine. Promise."

"Very well then. I hope you meet you all again in the near futu-"

"Mein gott!" Johann exclaimed as he ran up to Penny and began to caress her face with a look of wonder spread across his face. "Hmm, a pseudo synthetic polymer made to feel just like human flesh. Genius."

"May I assist you in any way, stranger?" Penny asked unfazed as her face was being caressed.

"Ah, ja. We haven't met before." Johann cleared his throat. "Ahem. Mein name ist Johann. Johann Arc. Und you, mein dear wunderbar madchen, are a very remarkable piece of verk. May I ask, who manufactured you?"

"..." Penny reeled back, surprised as to how this person knew of her true identity. Was her cover blown? Was she going to be taken back to lab after being discovered?

"Hey! How about we do a quick little meet and greet somewhere else?" Ruby quickly intervened and dragged both Johann and a surprisingly heavy Penny with her into a nearby alleyway. "Blake, can you watch Yang for me! This will only take a sec. Okay, thanks. Bye!" Ruby used her semblance and darted off into the wind before Blake could even have a chance to say anything.

"...I hate it when she does that." Blake groaned. Little did she know that Yang stirred behind her. A fire grew in the pit of her stomach, and it only burned greater upon seeing her sister drag her boyfriend off into a filthy alleyway with some ginger haired hussy...

* * *

"Johann, what are you doing! That was totally inappropriate! You can't just run up to a girl and start feeling her up!" Ruby scolded Johann, but he paid no heed to her reprimands.

"Ah! But she isn't a girl, at least, not in the anatomical gender sense." Johann retorted. "Isn't zat right, Penny?"

"How did you know that I wasn't human?" Penny asked with a curious tilt of the head.

"I am a scientific genius! I have an eye for these kinds of things. Und you are certainly no different."

"Then, you are not shocked that I am an android?"

"Far from it, in fact. I find you to be very... intriguing."

Penny didn't know why, but for some odd reason, being praised by Johann caused some sort of mysterious warmth to form within her central power unit. Which was odd, considering her liquid nitrogen coolant systems appeared to be functioning at full capacity. Try as she might, she could not find a reason for this troubling warmth, even with a full internal diagnostics check.

"You really think I'm... intriguing?" Penny spoke slowly, savoring her own words.

"Absolut!" Johann gently caressed her face again, this time sending alarming shocks throughout Penny's system. "Feeling your synthetic skin, I can only imagine ze hypnotic array of vires und circuitry zat lie beneath ze surface. If I could, I'd study every inch of your body vith a magnifying glass, und jot page after page of notes und sketches of utter perfection."

"...Ooookaaaay..." Ruby drawled. "This is starting to lean on the disturbing end of the spectrum."

"Bzzt!" Penny jolted from the shocks of his electric touch and started to panic. "Ah! I-I'm not perfect! I-I'm a defective unit! You wouldn't want me, you'd want a better model. One that doesn't break down so easily from this kind of internal stress. Oh, you must be disappointed with a failure like me."

"Nein, you are perfect in my eyes. But, perhaps a tune up is in order for you. Pardon me for asking, but do you have an access panel?"

"O-on my back, but I don't know how you could hel- Eep!" Penny yelped as Johann curtly spun her around and brazenly lifted up her shirt, causing Ruby's jaw to drop at his audacious action.

"Johann! What are you doing!" Ruby turned bright red.

" **SCIENCE!** " Johann fervorously shouted aloud. "Penny here is in need of a tune up. But I'll do her one better. It's time for an UPGRADE!"

Johann felt around Penny's soft and smooth backside until he found an inconspicuous seam running along the small of her back. Popping it open, the panel slid open on a pneumatic track that hissed as it revealed Penny's inner workings. While Penny wasn't human, her entire mechanical structure were all modeled after the average teenage human female, complete with a full internal frame resembling a skeleton and several regulators filling in for vital organs.

"Um, J-Johann?" Penny squeaked.

"Ja, Penny?" said Johann as he ran and finger along her metallic spine, causing her to involuntary shudder.

"This... this is my first time undergoing maintenance from someone other than the scientists back at the lab. Please, be gentle..."

"There is nothing to fear. You're in capable hands."

"Oh, Monty. Strike me down now..." Ruby covered her eyes with her hands, but peeked through one of them just because half of her wanted to see what Johann was going to do.

With incredible speed and dexterity, Johann began to pull wires and swapping around circuit boards. He was in his element working on Penny, and all the while she could feel her systems operate at a speed her creators thought were impossible to achieve. However, the mysterious warmth she felt was still there.

"Now, Penny. Zis next part might sting a little. Just a little warning." said Johann as Penny nodded in acknowledgement. With one swift tug, Johann realigned an circuit board, causing penny to stiffen up.

" **01001111_01110101_01100011_01101000_00100001!** " Penny yelped at high speeds.

"Phew, there we go. All better now." Johann closed up Penny's access panel and lowered her shirt down. He gave her a few seconds to relax and adjust to her new changes. "how do you feel?"

"Hmm... Systems are beyond optimal. Everything is running at 120%. Not only that, I feel less... cluttered, than before. Lighter too. Almost as if I were metaphorically walking on air."

"Eeyup. Zat's because I got rid of all zat useless junk zat vas gumming up your works. But I didn't stop there. I rearranged everything and hooked zem in a vay zat they'd all verk together in unison vithout consuming extra power. As of today, you are ze most eco friendly android to valk around Vale."

"I don't know what to say, Johann. Except, thank you." Penny bowed her head.

"You are very welcome. Do you still feel like you're a defective unit?"

"Far from it. I feel like I was just built yesterday! I feel... I feel..."

" _Sensational?_ " Ruby finished for Penny.

"Yes! Sensational!" Penny exclaimed with a giddy little dance.

"What's sensational?" A disturbingly cheery voice spoke up, sending a chill running up Ruby's spine. Spinning around, she saw her sister looming over her with a slasher smile plastered onto her face.

"Wah! Yang! You're back to normal, kinda..." Ruby exclaimed.

"Yes, I am. And I'm here to tell you that we gotta go. Now." Yang stated before turning to see Johann happily chat away with Penny. Her smile twitching, she stomped on over and unceremoniously pulled Johann away and flung him over her shoulder like a side of beef.

"Yipes!" Johann cried as she dangled atop Yang's shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Penny. But we must be going now. It's been... nice... to... see you again." She churned out each word with venom dripping from her psychotic smiling lips.

"I see. I hope you all have a splendid day! Goodbye, Ruby. Goodbye, Yang. Goodbye, Johann! And please, tell Blake that I said goodby as well."

"Sure, whatever." With that rude conclusion, Yang turned around and ran off with her treasure in tow like a greedy dragon. Grasping onto him tightly so that no one else can steal him away from her.

"Well, I better go too. If you ever want to hang out with me, you can hit me up at Beacon Academy." said Ruby.

"Why would you wish for me to hit you, Ruby? Are you a masochist?" Penny inquired.

"It's just slang, Penny. You might want to study up on that. Goodbye!" Ruby shouted as she ran to catch up with her sister, leaving Penny alone again.

* * *

Walking out into the streets, Penny strolled leisurely towards the park to enjoy her day of limited freedom away from uncle Atlas. Yet as she entered the park, she observed that there were numerous couples about, and that they were all publicly displaying affection for one another. Her mind wandered back to the feeling of warmth she felt in her central power unit. She was sure that she wasn't malfunctioning, especially not after Johann helped her.

"Johann..." Penny whispered. Just as she did, the warmth grew in intensity, so much so that she was worried her internal regulators might overheat. Yet, after another diagnostics check, she discovered that there was no danger to be had. Finding a bench to sit down at, she pondered her peculiar situation.

This warmth wasn't an issue, but it was still bothering her. From what she could deduce, this warmth only appeared when she thought about anything pertaining to her new friend, Johann. If she thought of something else, the warmth cooled off. If she thought of Johann, the warmth began to burn like molten iron. He was the root of the problem, but she was starting to reconsider whether or not this was an actual problem at all.

She search through her databanks to find an answer. After a few minutes of searching, all her results had one thing in common: the word  **love**  showed up nearly every single time.

" **Love. Entry one. Noun. A profoundly tender, passionate affection another person.** " Penny furrowed her brow. Was that it? Was this warmth in her central power unit passionate affection for Johann? Did she... love, Johann? Can androids even love? She found herself at a crossroads. She needed to know, she needed to be sure that it was indeed this human emotion that was plaguing her thoughts and body, and whether or not she should act upon it..

"What is love?" Penny searched her databanks again for more proof. Anything that could help her to better understand it. " **Result. Song. What is love. Artist: Haddaway. Playing music track.** "

" **What is love? Baby don't hurt me. Don't hurt me, no more...** "


	14. Herz Des Sturms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team falls into a trap and struggles to escape.

After the short run in with Penny, the quartet eventually made their way out of Vale city limits and towards the edge of the forest near the base of the mountain range. Along the way, however, Ruby and Blake made sure to keep a good ten paces behind Yang, who was acting like a jealous dragon whose precious treasure hoard was at the cusp of being stolen. At least she wasn't catatonic anymore, so that's good.

"I can't believe it! I take my eyes off you for one second and a ginger haired harpy tries to sink her talons into you. Well, not on my watch! Juan or not, I'm not letting you go that easily." Yang fumed as Johann helplessly dangled from atop her muscular shoulder.

"Yang, you know that's not what happened." said Blake. "It was just a friendly exchange between new friends. Nothing more, nothing less."

"From what I heard, it sounded a lot more than friendly." Yang growled. "Luckily, I managed to step in before things could escalate even further."

"Yang, Ruby and I are both in agreement that you're acting paranoid." Blake deadpanned. "I mean, look at yourself. You're clinging to Johann like some mysterious force is going pull him away from you."

"Well I'm sorry if my coping mechanism draws concern from you two. But until I cool off and acclimate to this whole hypnosis debacle, this is how things are going to be from here on out." Yang concluded with a huff.

"...You really miss him, don't you?" Ruby asked. "Juan, I mean."

"Of course I miss him." Yang droned, but kept her pace. "I miss his charm, his wit, the way he runs his fingers through my hair. The moment everything came crashing down on me, I realized that he was the one. I still wished I saw through his message earlier rather than act like a shrew in front of him."

"Uh, Yang. About th-" Ruby started but her mouth was immediately covered by Blake's hand. Ruby was about to protest, but the shake of the head Blake gave her told her this wasn't something that should be brought up anymore. "Ahem, what I was going to say was, I only wanted to get Jaune back to normal. It was wrong of me to take Juan away from you, but I can't have him live life thinking he's someone else. You understand, right?"

"I guess..." Yang sighed. "I didn't know Jaune as well as you did, Ruby, but knowing you, you wouldn't leave a friend hanging. Especially if you were the one who caused them the trouble. Although, I still can't believe the very first time I find a guy that's right for me, it turns out my little sister had went and messed with his egg salad. Some luck I have, huh?"

"If I may, fraulein." Johann spoke up from Yang's shoulder, halting the group. "It appears zat you stepped on something."

"Aw, man! Did I?" Yang lifted up her foot. "I hope it's not what I think it is, otherwise my luck really does suck." Luckily, it wasn't what she thought it was. Unfortunately, it was a tripwire that happened to be rigged to something. "Wow, I do have the worst luck."

Before anyone could even react, several gas bombs went off in rapid succession around them, clouding the forest in a fog of powerful anesthetic gas. Everyone instinctively brought their hands up to cover their face, but by then the gas had already started to weaken their motor controls. Before long, their consciousness slipped and they all crashed onto the ground, the world around them spinning as the creeping blackness of slumber took them effortlessly.

* * *

"Oooooh... five more minutes, dad..." Ruby groaned as she stirred in her sleep. Slowly blinking her eyes open, a dim light came into view of her blurry vision, flickering every so often as the world went and reinstated itself for her. As far as she could tell, she was laying on a lumpy mattress in a room somewhere. Rubbing at her hazy eyes, the room became clearer and clearer until Ruby realized that she was locked up in a jail cell. "Aw, nuts."

"How did I end up here?" She scratched at her head. Looking around the cramped cell, she took note that it was very runned down, and that the dim lightbulb hanging above her head was just barely keeping the place lit up. Her head was still groggy, but the last thing she remembered before blacking out was talking to Yang before she accidentally set off a gas trap. After that, she was stuck in dreamland before she finally woke up.

She had been separated from everyone else, and had been stripped of her weapon. Coincidentally, the only object on her person was the 3-D hypno ring. Whoever took her stuff must've thought the thing was too trivial to take or didn't bother to pat her down.

"Well, well, well. Looks like little red is finally awake." A snarkish voice called out from behind the bars. Turning her head, Ruby locked eyes with the one person she absolutely didn't want to meet on this excursion.

"Roman Torchwick." Ruby grimaced. There, dressed in his snazzy white coat, black slacks, cane and black bowler cap stood the droogs wannabe himself. Smiling a wry smile that made you want to punch the guy in the face and spitefully stomp on his hat.

"In the flesh." Roman smirked with a twirl of his cane. "How're you doing, babydoll? I didn't expect to meet you so soon after you and your punk friends ruined everything down at the docks."

"You had that coming and you know it, ya bum." Ruby sharply retorted as she tried to stand up. However, when she attempted to lift herself off the cheap bedding, her jello-like legs gave way and she fell back onto her rump as wave of exhaustion washed over her. She started to pant heavily as she struggled to stand up again, but no matter hard she tried her relaxed muscled made it nigh impossible to move properly, if at all.

"Trouble, red?" Roman snarked. "Oh, I'm sorry. That must be the anesthetic working its magic on ya. You didn't really think that a white fang facility would be without proper defenses now, did you?

"You tell me. You're the one in charge."

"I am, aren't I? Which brings me to my next question, what brings you to my neck of the wood? It can't be coincidence that you just happened to show up here uninvited and triggering our perimeter defenses. What's your angle, red?"

"I was going to grandma's house. What's it look like to you?"

"Hilarious." Roman deadpanned. "You wanna know what I think? I think that you, blondie, the kitty, and your annoying kraut of a friend were trying to stop our little operation."

"I hardly doubt your operation's little if plutonium was involved."

"Oh, so you heard about that? Then you'd also know we're in possession of one heck of a bomb. Courtesy of the einstein who stole our hard earn resources for his science project."

"Too bad it doesn't work." Ruby smirked, causing Roman's own to falter slightly. "All you've got is big bomb casing full of useless plutonium rods and pinball machine parts."

"True, true. But you're forgetting one thing, red. We've got your friend, and he's gonna fix up that toy of his real nice, otherwise you and everyone else are going to be involved in a very unfortunate smelting accident. What do you think would happen if molten steel comes into contact with human flesh?" Roman threatened. He then snapped his fingers and two white fang members came to his side, one with a pair of funny looking handcuffs, and a stun rod

"As I said to a friend earlier, I'm not a masochist. You're gonna have to look for a new playmate" Ruby joked in light of the situation.

"Don't kid yourself, red. You ain't that cute. And I ain't into little girls who're flatter than a monopoly board." Roman retorted as he fiddled with a set of keys, completely oblivious to the utter look of indignation Ruby was giving him. "Now, I'm gonna open this door. Try anything funny, and you'll be seeing stars."

Despite his warning, the moment Roman turned the key and opened the cell door, she activated her semblance and made a mad dash out of there, only to run her gut straight onto the tip of his cane and get the wind knocked out of her. With whatever leftover energy she had drained from that hit, Ruby crumbled onto the cold floor where the handcuffs were unceremoniously slapped onto her wrists, binding her hands together.

"Uh, uh, uh! Now what did I say about trying anything funny?" Roman prodded at Ruby's proned form with his cane. "Aw. Is the widdle baby hurt?"

"Ugh... get bent you jerk..." Ruby spat as she groaned in pain.

"If you're still well enough to give me lip, then you're well enough to stand on your own." Roman snapped his fingers again. His lackeys went on over and picked Ruby up, keeping the stun rod charged just in case she causes another outburst. "Come along now, bout time I gave you a grand tour of the place."

* * *

Ruby was callously dragged from her cell by Roman and his goons out of the complex and into a room where it was bustling with activity. She was nearly blinded by the white lights that lit the area up. When her eyes finally adjusted, she glanced around the massive facility and was left awestruck by the magnitude of the white fang's operation.

This was the mines that Johann was talking about. The one where he presumably waltz in without setting off any alarms and snatched weapon grade plutonium from right underneath the white fang's nose.

There were white fang members everywhere she looked, each either relaxing or were currently engrossed in whatever it was that they were working on. It was kind of heart breaking to see what blind bigotry and public stigmatization have resorted the faunus to do. It hurt even more when she was receiving glares from members who passed right by her. One even had to the gall to spit at her face, but she managed to duck in the nick of time to avoid the loogie.

Off to the corner of her eyes, she spotted several mine carts that were positively overflowing with precious minerals and ore that had long thought to have been exhausted after years of mining. What concerned her even further was the carts that were filled with dust of all kinds. They had enough dust to arm an entire army, enough to power countless war machines, enough to level a major city if used accordingly.

Not only that, there were several crates of stolen weapons and explosives laying around, and that wasn't counting the stolen shipment of experimental exo-suits Atlas created that completely littered one end of the facility.

To Ruby, this wasn't a mine anymore. This was a weapon's stockade.

"You like what I done with the place!" Roman exclaimed as they stopped. "Sure, it looks a little militaristic, but that's the look that I was going for. So, whaddaya think?"

"I think you're crazy." Ruby snarled between gritted teeth. "What are you trying to do, go to war?"

"War?" Roman reeled back in mock pain. "How dare you accuse me of wanting to commit such a heinous act. As elected leader of the white fang, I have to see to it that the abused faunus population receive justice! And the equality that they were promised so many years ago. And in order to to do that, as tragic as it may be, we need a deterrent for any would be aggressors against our noble cause!"

"However, our true weapon is not our guns, our vehicles, or even our sheer numbers. But rather, our voice! A voice of the oppressed, a voice of the hated, a voice of the faunus, a voice that cannot be silenced no matter how much our enemy attempts to censor us, to mislead us, to belittle us in our just cause. Ours is a voice that is thundering, ours is a voice of the revolution, ours is a voice of the unstoppable tempest! And we shall be heard!"

Just as Roman finished with his speech, the entire room exploded into wild cheers, rumbling the mine with fervorous chants and howls. But Ruby found Roman's speech to be sickening. The faunus don't realize that they are being used by a lowly thug to further his own petty agenda. This isn't just about a dismantling a bomb anymore, this was about stopping Roman from turning Vale and every other kingdom around the globe into smoldering ruins.

"You won't get away with this." Ruby seethed.

"Ah, that sounds just like something a faunus hater might say." Roman grinned wickedly. "You hear that everyone, this little punk thinks she can stop us!" Ruby was instantly bombarded by a series of hissing and boos. Trash and other junk were being tossed at her like rain, she did her best to avoid them, but a few of the lucky one found their way onto her head. "Heh, feel that, red. That's justice you're feeling... Put her with the others."

Roman turned and walked away as Ruby was once again dragged to who knows where. She tried to leave, to break free and find her friends, but she felt her strength constantly being sapped as the minutes passed by. It must've been the cuffs. They're draining her strength and rendering her semblance useless. She was vulnerable, and there was nothing that she could do about it.

* * *

After a few more minutes of walking, Ruby was dragged into a small storage room where she was tossed in like yesterday's trash. She cried out in pain as she collided with the floor, grunting and panting as she struggled to sit upright.

"Ruby?" Ruby turned to the voice and saw both Yang, and Blake, who were in the same predicament as she was.

"Yang, Blake!" Ruby cheered as she sidled on over. "I'm glad you two are okay."

"The same goes for you too kiddo." said Yang as she brought her cuffed hands over Ruby and comforted her. "I take it you've seen what's going on out there?" Ruby nodded.

"This is downright nightmarish." Blake added. "Roman went and turned the white fang into a full fledged revolutionary army. If fighting breaks out, the faunus may never have the chance to redeem themselves ever again. We'll be back at square one, and Roman's gonna cash out when the heat starts getting to him. Countless lives will be lost because of one man's greedy ambitions."

"Assuming they don't win, that is." said Yang. "If they do win, then we're looking at chaos that would tear Remnant apart at the seams. Whatever that's gonna be left is nothing more than food for the grimm."

"Wait. Johann. Where's Johann!?" Ruby panicked as she pulled away from Yang.

"Right here." Johann's voice brought a wave of relief to Ruby, but when she turned to find him, she was shocked to see that he was shackled to a workbench as he welded away at his own creation. He turned around and lifted away his welding goggles, smiling an insane smile as if everything were okay. "How are you, fraulein?"

"Johann..." Ruby breathed.

"Don't overexert yourself, save your strength." Johann put his goggles back on and went back to his work. "I hate to do zis, I really do. My invention vas created to annihilate ze grimm, but here I am, converting it into a veapon to destroy humanity. Oh, how the mighty have fallen." He chuckled darkly.

"Why are you doing this?'

"As you can easily tell from the shackle on my leg, it's not like I had a much of a choice." He spoke as he welded. "They threatened to pour molten metal over you three if I refused. Even zen, mein hands are tied." He absently pointed to the security camera up in the corner of the room. "They're vatching, listening in my progress. Making sure zat I stay in line. Othervise, they'll detonate those cuff on your wrists right in front of me. I can't risk zat."

"Roman thought of everything, didn't he?" Blake seethed. "I'm so sorry you have to go through this because of us, Johann. I truly am."

"There is nothing to apologize for. Mien fruends, you have done nothing wrong."

"Nothing wrong? We're being used as bargaining chips just so you can finish this weapon for them!" Ruby cried. "They threatened to kill us if you didn't cooperate! They forced our lives into your hands!"

"Und mein hands shall be ze vun to save you all." Johann chuckled again, confusing the girls. "Zis Roman Torchwick is a smart man. Not as smart as me, but smart nonetheless. However, it is his cleverness zat shall be his undoing. A foil by hubris, how classic." Johann smirked as he pulled out a small detonator from his pant's pocket.

"Everyone! I give you freedom!"

* * *

Johann let out one last cackle of madness as he flipped the switch, detonating the bomb and causing it to release a powerful electromagnetic pulse in the immediate vicinity. A low boom hummed throughout the walls, nearly knocking Johann and the girls back from being so close to ground zero. Once the deed was done, It only took mere seconds for panic to set in for the white fang.

Every light bulb, every machine, and every electronic device in and out of the mines within a sixty kilometer radius, give or take ten kilometer, had it's circuits fried, including the handcuffs that binded Yang, Ruby, and Blake.

Freed from their bindings, they all discarded the harmless manacles and ran towards Johann in the darkness, who was already cutting his own shackles off with the welding torch. Lit up by the glow of the torch, they all watched as the chains keeping him to the bench was cleanly cut away. The chain was still hot once he was free, but that didn't matter at the moment. He shut the torch off and let the darkness of the mine consume their surroundings.

"Man, it is dark in here." said Yang, regaining some of her lost pep that had been sapped by the handcuffs. "Johann, what did you do?"

"I'll explain on ze vay out." said Johann. "Let's find our veapons und leave, immediately. Ze job here ist done."

"I'll lead, I can see better than you guys in the dark. Stay close by." said Blake. Following her lead, Blake led the group out with her nocturnal vision, making sure to stick around the walls and corners to avoid contact with the white fang. "Be careful, they may be panicking, but that doesn't mean they can't still see in the dark." she whispered.

"Or hear us." Yang added. "Assuming they can hear through all this mayhem, that is."

"Does anyone know where our weapons are?" Ruby asked. "I want crescent rose back. I can hear my baby calling out to me. She sounds like she's in pain."

"When they were transporting me, I think I saw them stuff our stuff in one of the weapon crates." whispered Yang. "I don't remember which one it was though."

"Then we'll just have to get lucky with our search." said Blake. Using her innate catlike reflexes, she deftly maneuvered everyone through any blind spot she could find, and before they knew it, they all found themselves in front of several weapon crates that were loaded with almost every type of small arms and explosives they could think of. Rummaging inside the crates, they manage to find what they were all looking for after only a few minutes of searching.

"Crescent rose! My baby!" Ruby whispered loudly upon finding her precious sniper scythe. She quickly grabbed the weapon and cradled it in her arms. "Mommy missed you! Did the bad men in white hurt you in any way?"

"Gambol shroud, my better half. It's great to be reunited with it." Blake smiled with as she sheathed her weapon and holstered in onto her back.

"Hello darlings." Yang smirked as she placed on ember celica. "Ooh, yeah. That's what I'm talking about.

"Mein vater vould kill me if I lost zis." Johann grimaced as he strapped crocea mors onto the side of his hip. "Alright, did ve get everything?"

"Everything except ammo." said Yang. "They cleaned out our weapons when they took them."

"Ammo can always be replaced, our lives cannot. Now, let's escape while we stil-" Blake started, but was interrupted when their position had been compromised by bright lights emanating from the torches the white fang had hastily crafted with their dust supply. Upon being discovered, hoards of white fang members quickly converged onto their location, effectively cutting off their escape routes.

"What is going on here!" A voice roared from behind the mob. Moving aside to create a pathway, a furious Roman Torchwick stomped forward. He was gripping his cane so tightly it was a wonder that he didn't break it with his bare hands. "Of course..." He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Of course! It just had to be you brats, didn't it! What did you do!?"

"I converted ze bomb to release an electromagnetic pulse instead of an atomic blast upon detonation." Johann quickly explained. "Anything you own zat is electronic in nature is hereby rendered useless because of zat EMP."

"Yeah, I kind of figured that when everything started going haywire." Roman gritted his teeth. "Do you have any idea, any idea at all, how much money that you just flushed down the damn crapper, because of  **YOUR**  little stunt!"

"Gauging by ze amount of stolen gear and equipment in zis facility based on their average equated value in today's economy, cross referenced with their fluctuating price from kingdom to kingdom, I'd wager you lost well over several million lien on property and resources, which is all about as useful as a really big paperweight now."

"Oh, you're trying to be funny now, eh? Let's see if you can make jokes when you're six feet underground! Everyone, I want them dead, and I want them dead, NOW!" Roman angrily boomed as the white fang descended upon our heroes with righteous anger.

"There's too many of them, we can't take them all on!" Ruby shouted.

"Maybe we don't have to." said Blake as she turned around and rummage through a another nearby crate. "Looks like I was right. This box is full of non-lethal flashbangs and smoke grenades. Grab as many as you can and start chucking!"

Without so much as a moment of hesitation, everyone grabbed the closest grenade they could find and started to pull pins as fast as they could. Before long, flashbangs and smoke grendaes began to go off all over the place.

The blinding flash and eardrum piercing screech of the flashbangs began to inflict severe sensory pain to everything that got caught in it blast range, but the effect are much more prominent against the faunus due to their highly developed sense of sight and hearing. In the midst of all the loud explosion and noise, the smoke bombs begin to rapidly cloud the area in a thick, obscuring haze that turned an already limited environment into a maze of uncertainty.

" *Cough* *Cough* Someone clear up this smoke! *Cough* *Cough* Don't let them get away!" Roman command as he choked on smoke.

Taking advantage of the situation, Yang, Ruby, Johann, and a slightly disoriented Blake grabbed onto each other and traversed into the black fog. They made a beeline to wherever the exit was in the chaos, punching and knocking out anyone that barred their way to escape the mines.

" *Cough* Look for the mine's opening!" Yang shouted. "That's where the smoke should be venting out of!"

"I'm trying, this is harder than it looks!" said Ruby as she squinted her eyes. Thanking the powers that be, she discovered a small cave opening where moonlight was peering through. "Everyone hold on tight! I'm gonna run us outta here! Get ready!"

She gripped onto her sister's arm, who in turned clamped down on Blake's, and so forth as she did so with Johann. Bending her legs at an acute angle, she sprung herself forward and activated her semblance. She had never done this before with so many people, but the strain she felt on her body was absolutely tremendous. Feeling her legs and arms burn with great intensity, she attempted to pull everyone with her out of the mines, and into the open forest.

"Whoa!" Ruby cried out as she lost control of her abilities, sending her and everyone along for the ride to be sent flying across the ground. They all spun and tumbled, receiving bruises as they skipped across the surface of the ground like stones atop a pond. "Ugh... I'm too tired to use my semblance right..." Ruby panted as she picked herself up. "Is everyone else okay?"

"I'll live..." said Yang as she came to.

"Look, we're almost out." Blake pointed to the mine's opening.

"Come on, while they're still distracted. Let's escape!" exclaimed Johann.

"There they are!" The mob roared from behind as the smoke began to clear up.

"Where are they!" Roman shouted as she ran towards the front. "If you think you're gonna get away after pissing away all of my hard work, then you got another thing coming!"

Recklessly, Roman gripped his cane and aimed up the cave ceiling. With a well place shot, Roman destroyed one of the stalactites foundation and caused a small cave in. The rocks above crumbled and began to fall, crashing nearby our heroes as they tried to avoid a rocky death. Not letting up, Roman fired even more shots, threatening the entire cave ceiling to fall right on top of them.

"Stop! If you keep zis up, ze whole place will collapse! You'll kill us all!" Johann cried as he rolled away from near impalement.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take to finally get rid of you annoying buggers!" Roman yelled as she kept up his raging barrage. Yet, as he pulled his trigger one more time, the ground began to violently shake, and cracks webbed out from beneath everyone's feet. "Oops..."

"You dummkopf! Zis vas vat I was trying to warn you abo- AHHHHHHHH!" Johann screamed as he and everyone else trapped in the mines felt the ground give in beneath them, sending them hurdling into the dark depths of the earthy unknown, and towards a fate most uncertain...


	15. Plunge Unto Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team is lost beneath the mountain, the beast is unleashed.

If Yang were to flip a coin, odds are, she'd lose the toss every single time. Call heads, get tails. Call tails, get heads. Call both, the coin lands  _perfectly balanced on its side_. Yang's luck was about as great as a black cat stepping on a crack while simultaneously breaking mirrors and spilling salt. Which was why she was currently cursing the heavens above as she plummeted deep into the depths of the abandon mines.

They were so close. So close! The exit was literally a stone's throw away from them, then that red headed jackass had to go and do something monumentally stupid. Not only did he endanger everyone's lives because he threw a childish, albeit entirely justified, temper tantrum, he also accidentally destroy the white fang's entire base of operations in one fell swoop with that cane of his.

Time seemed to slow down to a crawl for her as the rapidly encroaching darkness of the underground consume what little light that was left. Her senses heightened by raw adrenaline, she could hear the panicked beating of her own heart throbbing frantically within her ample bosom despite the cacophony of terrified screams echoing all around. It was in that single moment that she realized there was no need to struggle anymore. It was all over.

Who would've guess that Yang Xiao Long, Beacon's very own  _Golden Dragon_ , and Juan's beloved _Flor De Fuego_ , would meet her end at the hands of something as mundane, and darkly comedic as falling? Accepting her own fate, she closed her eyes and allowed her life to flash before her eyes. Years of memories came flooding back like an untamed river, filling her very being with a gentle warmth that made the concept of death a bit easier to deal with.

Sad as it may be to give in to the reaper's embrace, her only major regrets were few and far in between, but held a powerful resonance with who she was.

She never got the chance to find her mother after she disappeared, she never got the chance to graduate from Beacon Academy and become a full fledged hunter, she never got the chance to viciously tease Ruby for having a boyfriend, but perhaps most importantly, she never got a chance to marry and to settle down with a family of her very own.

Fate had been cruel to her. Lady Luck and Madame Misfortune were all too happy to be a part of this.

Exhaling one final breath, Yang tuned out the world as she knew it, and let the darkness take her completely...

* * *

Heaven felt a lot wetter than Yang had originally anticipated, but what did she know about the afterlife? Not very much considering her idea of heaven was a tad bit... simplistic. She was expecting clouds, bright sunlight, angels, a big golden gate that led the recently deceased into the great beyond, and the big guy himself:  _Monty Oum_. Yet the area she was in confused the heck out of her. It all dark, cold and was very,  _very_  wet. This was not heaven.

If this wasn't heaven, then did that mean she was in hell? If so, why was she here, and where was all the fire? Where was the brimstone? Where were the adorable tiny red imps dancing around with their forked tongues, hoofed feet, pointed tail, and three pronged pitchforks? Again, her idea of hell was rather simplistic.

Perhaps this was a purgatory of sorts? The zone between heaven and hell that was some kind of waiting line to gain entry into either of the former two places. Man, purgatory was boring. If Yang had known this was how death was gonna be like, she would've asked the grim reaper for a magazine to read and pass the time.

"- _g..._ "

A faint sound ringed in her ear. It sounded familiar and made her oddly happy just to hear it.

" _-ng..._ "

The sound became louder, and was much more defined than before. It sounded like a voice. But who did it belong to?

"- _ang..._ "

She remembers now. Juan? Was it Juan? Juan was calling out to her! As the voice became louder and louder, the cold, wet feeling she felt disappeared and a glowing light shone from within the space. The voice continued to call out to her, urging her to follow into the light.

" **Yang!** "

Throwing caution to the wind, she dove straight into the light as was beheld with a sensation that sent electric shocks coursing throughout her body. When she the light died down, the darkness returned, but so did her senses...

* * *

Yang's body shook and shivered upon the moist ground as her eyes wildly shot open. She coughed, sputtered, and choked before rolling over and began emptying the contents of her stomach. She heaved and coughed when she was done vomiting, making sure that everything was properly evacuated before wiping away the trail of saliva and fluids that trailed down the corners of her mouth. What was going on?

"Yang!" The voice called out again, only it wasn't the same as before. Sitting upright, she turned her head and, under the green glow of bioluminescent mushrooms, met the relieved faces of Ruby, Blake, and...

"Juan?" Yang asked with a hopeful smile.

"Nein, es ist Johann." Johann replied with small smile. "How do you feel?"

"Oh. I'm... fine, I guess?" Yang's smile faltered, but she didn't let the reveal get to her. "What... what happened? I thought I died." Yang tiredly replied.

"Technically, for about a two minutes, you were dead." said Blake as she sat beside her. "You drowned."

"I... drowned? How?"

"We're in a cavern." said Ruby. "As it turns out, there was a large underground river running just below the mines. When Roman crashed the place, we all fell into the river and ended washing up here, wherever here is. Me, Johann, and Blake were lucky on the drop. You... Not so much."

"When you hit the water, you hit it head on and passed out. You were under the water for about a good minute until we fished you out." Blake explained.

"I see. So, which one of you give me the life saving cpr?" Yang raised her eyebrow.

"Uh... Zat vas me..." Johann looked nervous. "Look. You vere dieing, und something had to be done. I vasn't trying anything, I swe-"

"Thanks." Yang breathed, lowering her head to hide a slight blush.

"Um, uh, okay. You're velcome." Johann blinked. He expected to get slapped by Yang, but she was real civil about the whole thing. There wasn't anything to worry about. "You all rest here for a bit. I'm gonna go to find us a vay out. I'll be right back." He stood up squeezed some water out of his jacket, and proceeded to walk along the mushroom lit riverbank. Following the river was bound to lead outside sooner or later.

When Johann was out of view, Yang let out a small squeal of delight that drew some concerns from her peers.

"You alright, sis? Didn't your aura prevent you from getting a concussion and making ya all loony?" said Ruby.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. It's just... I got my first kiss from Juan!" Yang squealed again. "Yes!"

"Wow, you're taking this near death experience in stride." Blake chuckled.

"Yang, you know that wasn't Juan. It was Johann." said Ruby. "And that wasn't a kiss. It was just cpr."

"Hey, he technically, sorta, is still Juan, and that too was a kiss! That's what I'm gonna believe. You can't make me think otherwise." Yang stated adamantly and shook her fist victoriously. "Which mean I took his first too! Ha! Take that, fate! I finally got my reward!" .

"Aw man, poor Pyrrha." Ruby groaned as she felt a migraine come on. "She's not gonna like this..."

"Hey, watcha mumbling about there, Ruby?" Yang asked.

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" Ruby shot her hands up. "By the way, how's your weapon doing?" She quickly changed the subject.

"Huh? I guess it should be fine." Yang checked at ember celica. "A little bit of water doesn't hurt since it's not loaded. I can still punch things into oblivion."

"You're lucky. Crescent rose took a nasty hit on the drop, and I now I can't open it up. The release mechanism is acting all finicky. She won't budge."

"Gambol shroud, unfortunately, got waterlogged on the way down. It won't be shooting anything till I clean it, but other than that I don't have any real problems." Blake examined her weapons. "Maybe you should make your weapon a little less cumbersome, Ruby. The portability is nice, but I feel that its complexity makes for a deadly issue. After all, working equipment can be the deciding factor between life and death."

"Hey, I don't tell you how to make or use your weapon." Ruby puffed her cheeks. "Just you wait, I'm gonna unjam it, and then we're getting out of here." She began fiddling with her weapon.

"While little miss gun nut over there messes with her stuff, what do you think happened to Roman and the white fang, Blake?" Yang asked.

"Assuming they fell in the river too, I have a feeling we might run into them again." said Blake. "Other than that, this facility has been compromised. Whatever they were doing here, all the weapons they were stockpiling and all the plans they were making crumbled away with the ground. They'll have to move soon, however. After Johann set off that EMP blast, the authorities will have to investigate the unauthorized detonation of a superweapon sooner or later."

"I fear ve may run in ze white fang sooner zan you would think, fraulein." Johann's voice echoed from the darkness. As the genius himself joined up with everyone, they took note of the distressed look on his face. "How's everyone doing?"

"Well, no one is suffering heavy injuries, so that's good." Replied Blake. "I can't say the same for our gear though. Anyway, did you find a way out?"

"I did, but there's a problem."

"White fang?" Blake raised her brow.

"Jawohl. You might vant to come along everyone..."

* * *

The group traveled alongside the river, taking occasional sips from the surprisingly cool and crisp mineral water to rehydrate themselves every so often. When the path started to widen and become more and more spacious, Johann motioned for everyone to follow him behind a large collection of stalagmites. One by one, they all peered in between the points and began observing the scene before them.

The river let out into a large atrium, and exited out the mouth of the cave into a nearby delta by the forest. From one end of the atrium to the other, there were numerous white fang members scrambling about to recover lost resources that had been swept up by the river. Large piles of soggy weapons, broken exo-suits, and chunks of rare ore littered the place in one big disorganized mess.

Near the center of the atrium, directing all the action of the white fang members was a bedraggled Roman Torchwick. It seemed he survive the long plunge and was still alive and kicking. His clothes were all torn and soaked, and his signature bowler cap was no where to be found. Needless to say, he looked like he got into a fight with an alligator and lost.

"Hurry up!" Roman roared as he held a cracked jar full of ice dust against his pounding head. "Get what you can find and just dump the rest! We're leaving! Vale's police force have probably already been dispatched, and we got to book it before they find us!"

"What about our dead?" One of the members asked tearfully. "We can't just leave them here."

"Dump them too!" He callously replied. "We can't leave any evidence behind. Bury them, burn them, mutilate them, whatever! Just make sure that no one can find these people, and if they do, they're unrecognizable. We don't need any leads linking them back to us! For all the police knows, a tragic accident happened here."

From way up on higher ground, feelings of utter disgust and abject horror welled up within our heroes. They watched in muffled silence as one by one, white fang members piled corpses of the recently deceased into a nearby rut and stripped them of their clothing and valuables. Once all the bodies have been collected and accounted for, or at least most of them, they began dousing them with volatile chemicals and accelerants.

After such strenuous preparation, Roman walked up to the pile, pulled out a lighter, and proceeded to destroy evidence without so much as a shred of hesitation or respect for the dead. Before long, the nauseating smell of gasoline and burning flesh filled the atrium, making it nigh unbearable for the faunus to withstand. Regardless, they all soldiered on and kept salvaging equipment in spite of the blazing funeral pyre nearby.

"By Monty..." Yang brought a hand up to her mouth, fighting the urge to vomit again.

"I think I'm gonna be sick..." Ruby grimaced, feeling her stomach flip and churn violently.

"..." Johann was left speechless. He may have been crazy in his own right, but at least he had some loose,  _very loose_ , moral standards to adhere to. This Roman Torchwick, however, was a heinous villain through and through.

Blake was by far the most appalled of the four. She just watched as her kin was disposed of like trash in a furnace. And for what? To eliminate incriminating evidence? She was a white fang once, before the shift in management and ideology. This tore at her heart like a knife, and nearly caused her to do something irrational if it weren't for her high levels of mental restraint. But that restraint did have a limit, and it was slowly being reached.

"That's it, we're bagging this piece of filth, here and now." Yang growled. She tried to jump out and attack the white fang but was pulled back by Johann and Ruby at the last minute. "Hey! What did you do that for! We got to go down there and kick his teeth in!"

"Nein. It is suicide. In our condition, ve would lose." said Johann as she pulled out his sword. "Plus, I don't know how to fight. I vould only be a liability."

"What? Really?" Ruby looked at Johann incredulously. "But you're so smart."

"Being intelligent doesn't automatically make you great at fighting. It's how you apply your intelligence that what makes you a great fighter, which, sadly, I have not. But I'm not here to lecture anyone. We need to sneak out of here and let the Vale police force deal with this."

"I don't think that's a possibility." Blake said wearily. "Roman is like a roach. You try to step on him but he'll just skitter out of the way. He'll be long gone before the police even gets here."

"Zen vat do you propose, Blake?"

"I'm gonna have to go with Yang's idea. We're stopping Roman and the white fang right here, right now. Then, when all is said and done, we vanish into the night and back to Beacon before the police can question us."

"What? And miss our interview on the five o' clock news about how we heroically stop the white fang dead in it's track?" Yang asked. "Don't tell me you're camera shy."

"It's not that. I fear the only thing we'll be famous for is being accomplices to the guy that illegally set off a superweapon. If anything, it would be best for Roman to take the blame for that."

"...Alright, say ve do pull this off. How?" Johann asked. "I can't fight, your weapons are damaged, and we're running out of stamina."

"Easy." Ruby spoke up. "We go down the path of least resistance."

"Meaning?" Johann raised his brow.

"We use stealth. Take out the mooks one at a time from the shadows like ninjas. We'll whittle their numbers down and then strike when the time is right."

"A great plan, as expected of our team leader." Blake nodded. "Stealth is one of my many specialties, this shouldn't be a problem."

"Hey, if all I have to do is knock heads, I'm fine with that plan." Yang cracked her knuckles in anticipation.

"What about me?" said Johann as he sheathed his sword back into the scabbard. "If I get involve, I might compromise you three."

"Actually, I have something in mind... But for now, keep watch while I discuss something with the girls." said Ruby. Johann nodded and turned his head to keep a lookout for them. Meanwhile, Ruby huddled together with Blake and Yang, who were curious about her idea.

"What's this about Ruby?" Blake asked. Ruby went and reached into her wet, stuffy pockets and pulled out the 3-D hypno ring, which once again miraculously stayed with her undamaged. For such a small plastic ring, it might as well have been constructed out of adamantium.

"Johann's fighting skills are a little flat, so, how about I bring in someone with a bit more... confidence." Ruby winked, causing Yang's eyes to go wide.

"You don't mean..." Yang's lips slowly curled in a small smile.

"Can you really do that, Ruby?" Blake sounded skeptical.

"Well, I'm not sure, but if I brought in Johann, I think I can bring back Juan." Ruby slipped the ring onto her finger. "Alrighty then, here goes. Hey, Johann."

"Ja, Fraulein?" Johann turned around.

"This is part of the plan, but I'm gonna need your full cooperation."

"Alright, vat do you need?"

"Look at this." Ruby flashed her hand up and started to pull the ring back and forth. Johann stared at the ring's spiral center with a bemused look on his face. What was Ruby doing? "Keep staring at the ring, Johann. It'll all make sense in a moment."

"Ruby, we don't have time for games. Besides, a genius like me wouldn't be affected by something like hypno-" Johann stop mid sentence as he promptly fell asleep. His head drooped down and he started to quietly snore, much to the amazement of his peers.

"That's right, I'm awesome." Ruby smiled smugly. "And you guys didn't believe me when I told you about I hypnotized Jaune."

"Don't act so smug. This doesn't prove anything, Ruby." Blake deadpanned. "Johann's just asleep."

"Shh... there's a process to this."

"Come on, Ruby. Where's my passionate kni- er, I-I mean, where's Juan?" Yang asked impatiently.

"Hold up!" Ruby whispered loudly. "You better hope no one heard me say that. Ahem, anyway. Now, Johann, hear the sound of my voice." Ruby waited for a response and was glad when she heard Johann mumble in his sleep. "Okay. Now, when I tap your head, you will go back to being Juan Arc. Mumble if you understand." Johann mumbled again. "Good, here goes nothing. By the power invested in me, I declare you to be Juan Arc!"

Ruby then went and tapped Johann on the head...

* * *

"Hmm?" Beatrice looked up from her plants and noticed that one of her flowers lost one of it's petals. "That's peculiar."

"What's wrong, Beatrice?" Oobleck asked as he took a sip of coffee.

"I feel like something... changed, all of a sudden. As if a great power had been unleashed onto the world."

"If you're referring to the EMP blast earlier, than you're intuitions are a little late to the party." He chuckled. "There shouldn't be anything to worry about. The authorities are already on the case."

"No, no it's not that. It's... Eh, it's probably just my imagination. Sorry to have worry you, Bart."

"It's fine. Now, how about a game of chess?" Oobleck suggested.

"Ooh! You're on!" Beatrice jumped up and down excitedly. "Today is the day that I finally beat you!"

"My twenty five hundred thousand, four hundred and twenty three thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine win streak shall stand for another day, dear sister. And after this, it shall be twenty five hundred thousand, four hundred and twenty four thousand when I done with you." Oobleck adjusted his glasses with a focused look in his eyes.

"Hmph, we'll see about that." Beatrice grinned. "Game on!"


	16. The Jaguar Wakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Jaguar wakes, and prey are consumed.

_Ruby then went and tapped Johann on the head..._

Nothing dramatic happened at first, but everyone's attention became fixated on Johann when he started to shake violently in his slumber. Almost immediately, everyone worriedly rushed on over to his side and held the boy down as he went through some sort of psychosomatic seizure.

Johann buckled and spazzed under the girl's tight hold, gritting his teeth as though he was under unimaginable pain. His breathing became dangerously erratic, and his struggle grew more forceful as the seconds ticked away, drawing concerns from the girls. But just when it seemed the worse was beginning to take hold, Johann whole body suddenly fell slack and he stopped moving altogether.

Panicking at the sight of Johann's still form, Ruby quickly shot her hand towards his neck to find any signs of life from her unconscious friend. After a bit of prodding, Ruby breathed a long sigh of relief when she felt a steady pulse thump beneath her fingers. Then, after several agonizing seconds of waiting, one by one, Johann's fingers began to twitch with life before curling into his hands to form a tight fist.

Slowly, ' _Juan_ ' rose up and opened his eyes. He scratched at his head, feeling incredibly groggy despite what felt like a wonderful nap. With a yawn and a smack of his lips, he looked around, wondering about the inquisitive looks his friends were giving him.

"Staring is rude, you know that?" said Juan.

"Juan? Juan is that you?" Yang asked hopefully.

"Yang, not now. My head is killing me..." Juan, or at least who he is presumed to be, stumbled his way up to a standing position. "Ooh... my aching head. I need some water." He turned to his side and started to walk over to the river. Kneeling over, he removed his gloves and pooled himself some cool water within his cupped hands. Bringing his hands up for a sip, he somehow keeled over and dove straight into water and was dragged away with the current.

Three jaws simultaneously fell to the floor as three sets of eyes widened considerably after witnessing how absurd that was. There was just no way someone like Juan would just double over and fall into the water so clumsily like that. Unless...

"Guys..." Ruby started hesitantly. "I don't think that Juan. I think I created someone new... again..."

"WHAT!?" Both Yang and Blake exclaimed, oblivious to the fact that their outburst echoed throughout the atrium as though they just screamed directly into a megaphone. Quickly slapping their hands over their mouths, both of them darted on over to the nearby stalagmite, preparing themselves to fight back if need necessary. Luckily, no one acted on their shout. Unfortunately, it appeared that Juan, or whoever he was now, got caught by the white fang.

"That's not good." Blake whispered.

"Ya think!" Yang whispered back.

"Well, what are we suppose to do now?" Ruby joined in. "Our plan was just literally washed away by the river."

"Shh... we'll think of something." said Blake as she kept observing the white fang. "Let's just hope the white fang doesn't injure this new Jaune in any way..."

* * *

'Juan' coughed and sputtered as he was pulled from out of the river and up onto land where a group of white fang members surrounded him. Despite the overwhelming odds and the fact that he had been captured, he didn't even bother to get up. The whole experience had left him feeling slightly jaded. Unless he was motivated, there wasn't a reason to move or expend any energy.

"Oi! What's going on over here!" Roman shouted. "Stop goofing around and get back to salvaging! Do you want to get arrested?"

"Boss, we found this guy in the river. What should we do with him?" A white fang member asked.

"Who?" Roman walked up and grinned at what he saw. "Oh, this guy." He started to circle 'Juan', thinking he was Johann. "So, looks like the kraut managed to survive the drop. You know what. I glad. Cause now that you've been caught, I can teach ya a lesson for crossing me. You're gonna regret screwing up my plans, punk."

"...Do you expect me to care mister big man?" 'Juan' spoke absently. "Tch, keep sucking wind, you ain't scaring anybody. You'd have better luck trying to spook a squirrel. Even then, the squirrel probably has bigger nuts than you."

"..." Roman gritted his teeth and kept his cool. He was a professional. He didn't need to dirty his hands when he had subordinates for that, no matter how badly he wanted to beat someone's brain in with his cane. Grunting, he turned away and issued an order. "Break all his bones and throw him in the river. Then get back to work."

With that said, Roman turned away and went back to directing the salvage operation. Not two minutes later, however, he heard a blood curdling cry of pain coming from one of his own men. Darting his head back to the scene, he watched with jaw dropping disbelief as 'Juan' stood over one of the larger white fang thug, who was cowering on the floor while gripping onto his wrist that had been twisted to an unnatural angle.

"AAAAAAAAH!" The thug screamed in agony. "You broke my wrist you son of a bi-"

"Shut it!" 'Juan' angrily shouted as he booted the thug's face, silencing him and breaking a few teeth in the process. "Sheesh, for such a big guy, he's really a whiny baby." He turned around and sized up his other captors. "Is this the best you got! I feel ashamed knowing I got caught by a bunch of weak underlings like you!"

"What did you say!" A member angrily shouted. "Who the hell do you think you are!"

"My name is  _ **Jago**_!" Jago removed his sword and shield off the side of his hip and dropped it onto the ground with a thud. Then, he assumed a muay thai stance and stared down his foes. "But you can call me,  _Jago the Jaguar_! And unlike you weaning cubs, I bear sharp fangs!"

He threw a series of powerful punches and kicks into the air, demonstrating skill and ferocity with each blow. Despite how coordinated and focused each strike was, they carried some form of feral tenacity with it, almost wild and untamed in nature. The white fang's who were around him felt the wind brush their faces with each hit, and backed off slowly as they drew their weapons out of growing fear. When Jago was done showing off, he smirked and taunted his captors.

"Who's next?"

* * *

"Well, what are you all waiting for!" Roman shouted angrily. "You saw what he did to your friends. Waste the punk!"

As it stands, there were at least seven white fang member's around Jago, each and armed and ready to go. However, the dangerous glint shimmering within Jago's ocean blue eyes gave him an air of overwhelming intimidation that was difficult to resist.

He called himself, the Jaguar, and just by looking at him, his firm stance, his eager smirk, his dangerous eyes, he was waiting for the fight to happen. He want so badly to viciously maul an opponent within an inch of their life that the white fang really did feel like helpless before prey the Jaguar's piercing gaze. One wrong move, and this jungle cat will have a very filling feast for the day.

"You know for people with such great hearing, I figured you would've heard me even if I whispered to you." Roman growled and stamped his foot. "Hurry up, and  _waste the guy_!"

"You all heard the man." Jago goaded. "Go ahead, make my day."

Against his better judgement, one of the members, a short stocky individual, hesitantly charged at Jago. With a dagger in hand, he rushed Jago with a quick stabbing motion, hoping to end it in just a single strike. Jago didn't give him the chance, however, and sidestepped out of the way before wrapping his arm around his aggressor's own.

Not letting up, Jago tightly gripped at the thug's elbow, causing him to drop the dagger, and with some proper application of force, promptly snapped his arm backwards as well. The thug didn't even have time to scream as a hard elbow swiftly collided with his nose, crushing it inwards and sending blood streaming out as he collapsed onto the ground a broken mess of a faunus. He wasn't dead, but he probably wish he was now.

Taking advantage of the moment, another thug attempted a sneak attack from behind. Gripping a bat tight in his hand, he winded it up and let loose at Jago with all his might. Mere inches before the hit could connect, Jago ducked low to the ground to evaded the strike. Caught off guard by the sudden reaction, the thug wasn't prepared for when Jago tilted his body and used the momentum of the drop to perform a shin breaking low kick.

With a blur, Jago's leg met the thug's shins. A resounding crack echoed into the air causing everyone who was watching to cringe at the sound. His legs now broken, the thug doubled over in pain. Following through, Jago shifted weight on his standing foot and launched himself upwards, using the other leg to perform a knee cannon towards the falling thug abdomen. Retching from the attack, the thug eye's rolled back into his head as he blacked out and fell backwards onto the ground.

Two thugs had been viciously taken out in under ten seconds with brutal efficiency. People were starting to get scared. Even Roman was starting to tremble, but he willed himself to hang tough and gritted his teeth.

"Don't just take him on one at a time you numskulls! Gang up on him!" Roman ordered.

"Do what he says." Jago taunted. "I want a challenge."

As a fuse had been set off, every remaining thug barrelled down on Jago with whatever courage they could muster. Grinning a mad grin that was wider than he ever had, Jago eagerly leapt into the fray and uncaged the Jaguar that had been restlessly waiting from within.

Reeling his hand back, Jago snapped a quick flicker jab to the nearest thug next to him, stunning him as the punch knocked him off balance and broke his nose. To his opposite side, a sword was being brought down on him. Clasping his hands together, he caught the blade mid swing and held it back as other's tried to tackled him down.

When two other white fang thugs jumped at him, he performed two high kicks, one for each assailant in rapid succession all while holding the sword back. Seeing them fall down, Jago turned his attention back to the sword wielder and redirected the blade away from his body. In that spinning motion, he turned around and used the spin's momentum to power a roundhouse kick straight to the wielder's temple, knocking her out cold in an instant.

Chucking the sword into the river, he hopped forward and stomped on the former two assailant's chest, knocking the wind out of them and breaking several ribs. Stepping off, he turned his gaze back to the thug that he flicker jabbed earlier.

He was holding onto his nose with one hand, trying to stop the bleeding, but that didn't stop him from wanting to beat down Jago. He was a big guy, bigger than the one who's wrist Jago broke. Letting out a howl of anger, the thug brought his hands up and waited for Jago to make the next move. Admiring his tenacity, Jago ran towards him speedily, and ducked a wild hook from the guy that would've taken his head off.

Exploiting the moment of weakness, Jago delivered a powerful liver blow to the side of the thug's abdomen. Pulling back from the hit, the thug crossed his arms together in an attempt to block the straight that was headed for his face, unbeknownst to the fact that it was just a feint. Rushing in from underneath, Jago shot his arms up into a gazelle punch, connecting cleanly for a stunning blow that breaking the thug's jaw.

The thug stumbled back even further, feeling a searing fire burn at his lower jaw. Discombobulated and left without feeling in his face, the thug could do nothing to defend himself as Jago prepared the coup' de grace.

Curling up his body and keeping his fist close, he lowered his center of gravity as he began to bob and weave back and forth to collect momentum. His swayed to and fro so quickly that the wind was started to gather around him like a raging storm. Then with the final turn, Jago poured his rage, indignation, and fury into his punches as he let loosed a dempsey roll that rocked the entire cave.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHH!" Jago roared at the top of his lungs.

One, two, one, two, left, right, left, right. Each rage filled punch aimed specifically at the head was like a hammer striking hot iron. Grinding teeth, pulping flesh, and mashing muscles. Every blow sent a draft flying back from where the hit connected, prompting Roman to hold onto his hair before the carnage ended with a devastating final hook that floored the thug and left a man shaped imprint on the ground where he landed.

That was six thugs down, there was only one more left. Not even bothering to cool off, Jago turned and fixed his gaze onto the lone combatant that remained. He looked like he was going to piss himself. He was shaking like a leaf in the wind and gripping onto his spear for dear life. Gulping down what he'd already determined to be his last gulp, the thug readied his spear and slowly edged his way towards Jago.

Jago didn't move from his spot. He just stood still with his hands out, waiting for the guy to make his move. Inch by inch, little by little, the thug crept closer to Jago, sweating bullets as his uniform started to get soaked with his perspiration.

"Come on, I don't have all day." Jago exhaled steam. "I'm waiting. Give me your best shot."

Jago waited, and waited, and waited, but the attack never came. Adhering to his fight or flight responses, the thug dropped his spear and ran for his life. He ran out towards the cave with all the strength his legs could carry him, and jumped into the river before swimming to freedom, or towards the police to turn himself in and protect himself from the animal that just forced all his allies to eat food through a straw possibly for the rest of their life.

"...Clearly, seven wasn't enough to take this guy down." Roman drawled as he turned to met the rest of his stunned subordinate. "Well? Are you just gonna stand there gawking? Or are you going to get in there!"

In the blink of an eye, ever single white fang member in the cave dropped what they were doing and charged straight at Jago, oblivious to the severe levels of pain they'd soon experience in the next few minutes...

* * *

It took some time, but Ruby, Blake, and Yang managed to pick their jaws up from the ground when they dropped it again witness this Jago fellow hospitalize seven white fang thugs on his own. They would be impressed if they weren't so horrified by how badly he messed up everyone that went after him. Jago was a vicious jaguar dressed in man's clothing. There was no better way to describe this master fighter.

Even now, they watched from behind the stalagmites in awe as Jago took on fifty fighters on by himself, with bone breaking results. Literally, everyone who went up against Jago right now were getting their limbs bent and twisted into abnormal angles and shapes. A real modern day Picasso this guy was. Assuming Picasso was a muay thai and boxing specialist that broke peoples bone on a daily basis. Regardless, the fight was both entertaining, and cringeworthy.

"Um... this is a good thing, right?" Ruby asked, wincing as Jago forced a man to do the splits against his will.

"I... guess?" Yang raised an eyebrow, looking away after seeing Jago push someone's collar bone inward. "I mean, it's cool and all seeing Jago take down the baddies, but I feel super bad for them."

"Tell me about it." Blake covered her eyes after seeing Jago bend a man's arm a full one hundred eighty degrees backwards. "I know the white fang's are terrorist and all, but they also my kin. They don't deserve this."

"...Should we stop him?" Ruby suggested.

"Uh..." Yang mulled it over. "Maybe later. I want to see more of his moves. Plus, I have a feeling Roman's next on the chopping block, and I wanna see that guy get what's coming to him."

"Hmm... Even though I'm against all this violence, I look forward to seeing what'll happen to Roman." said Blake as she smiled on the inside.

"...Wish we had some popcorn..." Ruby's stomach growled.


	17. A Walk Through The Underworld

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jago is triumphant over the White Fang, and the team escape the authorities.

" **Hiyah**!" Jago cried out as he shot his elbow forward, crashing it squarely into a White Fang mook's face and sending him hurtling towards the ground. Grunting and groaning in pain, the mook grasped at his broken nose, trying to futilely halt the flow of blood and snot before passing out from shock. With the last mook down, Jago lowered his stance and turned his attention to the ringleader of the whole operation: Roman Torchwick.

Taking long even strides, Jago made his way towards a petrified Roman. The joyful animosity that he displayed earlier in the fight as he viciously mauled foe after foe had disappeared. Gone were the sharp eyes, wry smirk, and loose posture. In its place was a stony expression and a stern pose that conveyed silent fury in a way that only the mighty Jaguar could possess.

"Hey, buddy, l-let's be cool about this," Roman said in a slight panic as he was slowly backed towards a pile of junk. "There's no need for violence. I mean, heh heh, I know we've had our difference and I tried to kill both you and your friends, but if you look at this from my perspective, you can understand that- Yah!" with a loud cry, Roman quickly swung his cane towards Jago.

Anticipating the attack, Jago quickly shot his hand up to catch the cane mid swing, and counteracted with a swift hook to the side of Roman's jaw, causing him to release his grip on his weapon as he stumbled backwards in a daze. With the cane in hand, Jago held it up high up and forcefully brought it down onto his leg, snapping it clean in two. Tossing the now broken cane aside, Jago reached forward and grabbed Roman by the collar of his coat.

"Hey, hey, hey! Watch the suit!" Roman growled before being unceremoniously hoisted up into the air. "Whoa!" he cried as his feet now dangled mere inches above the ground. Grasping at Jago's arms, Roman attempted to pry himself away from the guy, but found him to be a lot stronger than he looked. Sweating bullets at the fear of capture, or worse, Roman decided to gamble it all with his silver tongue.

"Look, Johann, or Jago, whatever the heck you're name is now," Roman started coolly, running his hand through his disheveled hair to straighten it out. "You seem like a pretty smart guy. Strong too. After seeing what you can do, what with the bomb and the way you handled my lackeys, I'm starting you think you're in the wrong line of work. You get what I'm saying?"

"What are you getting at you roach?" Jago scowled as his hold on Roman tightened.

"I'm saying you should work with the White Fang," Roman smirked deviously. "Work with me, leave those brats behind. I can make you a very wealthy man, and a hero to all the oppressed Faunus in Remnant. Think about it, you can have everything you'd ever wa-" Roman was interrupted when Jago headbutted his face without warning, breaking his nose upon impact. "Gaaaaaah! You fu-"

"I don't want your money, scumbag!" Jago roared as he headbutted Roman a second time, then a third. There would've been a fourth, hadn't the roach in his grasp blacked out so soon.

Panting heavily, Jago casually tossed away the piece of trash onto the junk pile and walked away to retrieve his gear. Feeling the adrenaline in his body steadily fade away, Jago's body began to slump downwards and he became extremely sluggish with each step he took before finally he collapsed onto the ground a wet mess. The stress of all the fighting had finally caught up with him and he could move no more.

"Jago!" Ruby shouted as she jumped from the high ground and descended onto the cave floor. She tumbled and rolled with the landing, absorbing the shock before quickly running over to boy and helping him on his feet. "Are you alright, Jago?"

"I... I'm fine..." Jago said in between breathes as he shakily assumed a kneeling pose. "It's just... really hard to move."

"Here, I'll help you up," Ruby brought one of Jago's arm around the back of her neck and stood up, struggling to carry the boy up with her. "Ugh! Wow, you're heavy, and soaked. If we don't move out soon, you're gonna catch a cold at this rate."

"Don't worry about it. Jaguar's don't catch colds," Jago joked. "Heh heh, ah..." he winced.

"You look like you could use some help," said Yang as she and Blake finally made it to the two. Taking Jago's other arm, Yang hoisted the exhaust boy all the way up and held him steady, not minding that he was still wet after falling into the river. "Better?"

"Better," Jago sighed. "Sheesh, It feels like someone brought a branding iron to my muscles."

"Considering you just took down, let's see..." Blake started to count the unconscious and semiconscious White Fang members that had been scattered across the cave like leaves in the wind. "...Fifty one, fifty two. Fifty two members of the White Fang, plus Roman, with your bare hands, it should be natural for your body to feel like that."

"This doesn't usually happen though..." Jago grumbled.

"It doesn't?" Ruby looked at the boy incredulously.

"Yeah, I can usually fight for longer. Something must be wrong with me today."

"Something's definitely wrong with you alright..." Yang muttered beneath her breath.

"Yang, now isn't the time for that," Blake whispered to Yang as she went and picked Crocea Mors off the ground. "Come on, let's head out."

With everything gathered, the quartet made their way out of the cave and into the forest, where they could easily see legions of Osprey copters and Bulheads flying through the night sky, the red and blue of their police lights flashing sporadically in the distance. Picking up the pace, they escaped into the darkness, making sure to flee the scene before the Vale police force showed up.

* * *

The trek home was mostly quiet. Save for sound of rustling leaves, snapping twigs, and the occasional hoot of a nearby owl, no one said much as they continued the long journey back to Beacon Academy. It's not that there wasn't anything to talk about, it's just now's not really the best time. Still, walking while carrying Jago in stark silence was starting to grate Yang's nerves. So, she decided to break the ice.

"It's nighttime," she began, "how long were we there?"

"Judging by the moon in the sky, longer than we should've," Blake replied. "The anesthetic gas must've hit us harder than we thought."

"At least we paid the White Fang back," Yang sniggered. "We dismantled a bomb, shut down the their whole operation, cheated death, and Roman's gonna be needing some surgery to fix that nose of his after Jago clocked him in the face with that wicked headbutt. All in all, for a school night, today's been pretty eventful."

"So does that mean you're over the whole Juan thing?" Ruby asked innocently, causing Yang's cheery mood to darken almost instantly.

"Not. Now. Ruby," Yang spoke through gritted teeth, subconsciously squeezing her hand into a tight fist, unaware that she was still gripping Jago's wrist as she carried him.

"Ah-ta-ta-ta!" Jago yelped in pain.

"Whoops! Sorry about that handso-" Yang stopped when she caught her mistake. "Sorry."

"It's alright. It'll take a lot more than that to harm Jago the Jaguar," Jago chuckled tiredly. "By the way, whose Juan?" Yang flinched at his question.

"He's..." Yang looked hesitant to answer, "it's nothing to concern yourself with. Though someone is still in very, veeeeery big trouble when we get home." Yang practically snarled as she finished.

"Eep!" Ruby eeped as she felt her older sister's laser targeted glare slowly burn a hole through her forehead. Gulping, she turned to Jago and immediately directed everyone's attention towards him to save her own applewood smoked bacon. "H-hey, Jago! Why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?"

"Hmm? Where'd this come from?" Jago raised his eyebrow. "You never seemed interested about my life outside of school before."

"I-it's about, uh..." Ruby racked through her brain to come up with an excuse. "As fellow leaders, wouldn't it be beneficial if got to know each other better for, um... future references?" she grinned weakly. "And besides, what better way to pass the time trying to get back home then by getting to know each other better?"

"Heh, that makes sense. Alright, what do you what to know about?"

"Well, let's start with your fighting skills," Ruby asked, earning the intrigue of the others as well. However, this was more than just a simple distraction for her sister, it was also a chance to better know the new Jaune she created on accident. Knowing more about Jago could help in finding a way to bring Jaune back. "We didn't know you knew martial arts. Tell us about that."

"Yeah, tell us about that," said Blake as she scooted closer to the group. "Where did you learn Muay Thai and Boxing? While the latter isn't that difficult to pick up, the former is known for having an incredibly arduous training regimen."

"You know, It's funny you asked that, Blake.  _I don't know how or when_ , but for as long as I can remember, I've always been a master of those two styles, and then some," Jago answered nonchalantly, earning a few raised eyebrows from his peers.

"Think you clarify what 'and then some' would be?" said Yang.

"Certainly," Jago nodded. "Asides from Muay Thai and Boxing, I also know Aikido, Hapkido, Wing Chun, Krav Maga and Taekkyeon. It never hurts to have options."

"Uh... The only one that I know out of all those was just Boxing," Ruby looked worried, but pressed on with another question. She needed to understand just how far her powers of suggestion went in Jago's mind, and how it reacts to contradictory questions. "If you knew all of that, why'd you decide to fight now? Where was all of that when we got chased by that giant Deathstalker? Or when Cardin was picking on you?"

"To answer your question, I only fought earlier because our lives were in danger."

"The Deathstalker didn't count as a moment of danger?" Blake blinked in disbelief.

"Everyone handled it well in the end, so I saw no reason to step in," said Jago with a casual shrug of his aching shoulders. "As for Cardin, that ape ain't worth it. He'd fall with a single punch from me."

"After seeing what you did to the White Fang, I guess I have to agree with you on that sentiment," Yang cringed as she recalled the disturbing sounds of crackling bones and howling wails of terror. "Remind me never to make you mad. I like my skeleton the way it is, thank you very much."

"Do you remember anything about a bomb?" Ruby asked out of the blue, garnering Jago's attention again.

"You mean the one the White Fang stole?" Jago gave Ruby a look. "What does that have to do with me?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to check to make sure your memory wasn't affected by the fall," Ruby half lied. "But it seems that even a fall into darkness can't stop the Jaguar. Anywho, I want know why you handicap yourself. It's clear as day you've got the skills. Why not aim for the top?"

"Because I already am at the top" Jago replied dryly. "The Jaguar is an apex predator, didn't you know?"

"Sorry, I'm not big on animals, or what the word apex means," Ruby scratched at her head. She opened her mouth to ask a follow up question, to get him to elaborate on what he meant by already being at the top, but her sister interrupted her before she could speak.

"Hey, look. We're almost to Vale," Yang pointed straight ahead.

"What? Already?" Ruby turned her her head and beheld the bright lights and towering buildings that modern civilization had to offer. They were still outside of city limits, but if she had to estimate it would probably only take them at least half an hour of walking till they reach the very edge of Vale. "Huh, whaddaya know..." Ruby looked dumbfounded. Time flies when you're gathering information.

"Come on, let's not stand around. The faster we get home, the faster we can put this all behind us and get some much needed rest," Blake suggested with a yawn, stretching her limbs and feeling a satisfying pop in her lower back send a wave of relief throughout her fatigued body.

"I hear ya," Yang yawned too, shifting side to side and making sure that Jago was comfortable in her hold. "Dibs on the shower," she quickly added with a big grin, much to Blake's dismay.

"You can't call dibs on the shower," Blake argued as she narrowed her eyes on Yang. "You take forever just by washing your hair. I'll go first, then Ruby. You can go last."

"But then the water would be cold!" Yang whined as everyone marched on towards the illuminated city.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"I just realized something," Jago looked at his bare hands. "Did we leave my gloves behind?"

"Wait, did we?" Ruby faced Blake and Yang.

"I have his sword," replied Blake, holding Crocea Mors in her arms. "I was sure Yang took Jago's gloves when we jumped down."

"Heh, heh," Yang looked nervous. "Whoops! I, uh... guess I must've forgotten them on accident!" she scratched at her cheek. "Silly me."

"Tch, man," Jago frowned. "Those were my favorite pair of gloves."

While Jago and Ruby bought Yang's excuse, Blake was not one so easily fooled. With her night vision, she peered out the corner of her eyes and scanned Yang's form. Her vision trailed from Yang's face, down to her ample bosom, and then to her shorts. Squinting, Blake could easily see something just barely sticking out of the hem of Yang's shorts, right in between her belly button and her... nether reaches. While she couldn't discern its material, she could tell that they weren't undergarments.

"Maybe it's best you forget about them, Jago," said Blake, turning her head slightly to hide her growing blush better in the darkness. "Trust me. They're definitely lost in a cave somewhere..."


	18. Do Hunters Dream of Grimm?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do hunters dream of Grimm?

It was lunchtime at Beacon Academy. Ruby sat with her friends, happily munching on a massive chocolate chunk and salted caramel cookie as everyone else casually chatted amongst themselves. Among them was Jaune. Good ol' Jaune, who isn't hypnotized into thinking he was another person or anything utterly nonsensical like that. Yes, everything was as it should be... At least, until Yang spoke up.

"Everyone!" Yang boomed as she stood up, garnering everyone's attention. "I have an announcement to make," a heavy blush dusted her cheeks as she nervously twiddled her thumbs. "So here's the thing... ah, wait, that's a terrible way to start. Ahem, sorry. What I meant to say was," she flashed everyone her left hand, which had an impressive golden bangle adorned on her ring finger. "I'm getting  _married!_ "

The very moment those three little words left Yang's lips, everyone immediately shot up out of their seats and ran up to congratulate the girl on her engagement, well, most everyone. Pyrrha stayed in her seat and remained quiet and invisible, while Ruby's response to the news was to loudly choke on her cookie, cough once or twice, pat at her chest, then turn to face her sister with eyes that were as wide as dinner plates.

"WHAT!?" Ruby exclaimed she ran up to her sister till they were about nose to nose with each other. "When did this happen!?"

"This morning!" Yang gleefully stated, oblivious to her younger sibling's growing distress. "He came up to me out of the blue, knelt down on one knee, held out a black velvet box that had this remarkable golden ring in it and proposed to me right then and there. It was so romantic!" Yang swooned at the memory, feeling a case of the vapors threatening to overtake her.

"..." Ruby felt her left eye twitch uncontrollably and her jaw left ajar. "Who's  _he_!?" she screamed.

"Oh, come on, Ruby. Don't play dumb," Yang playfully patted at her sister's head. "You know him all too well. After all...  _you made him_ ," she concluded on a suspiciously ominous note.

"Huh?" Ruby tilted her head to the side.

"Buenos tardes, Ruby!" a familiar spanglish speaking voice ringed in Ruby's ear, causing the poor girl to jump up in surprise and land right into Blake's hold.

" _Zoinks!_ " Ruby screamed as she scrambled back onto her feet. "Ah! Juan!? What are you doing here!?" she pointed an accusing finger towards the flamboyantly passionate boy. "You shouldn't exist!"

"Of course I exist, chica!" Juan flashed Ruby a toothy grin. "Why wouldn't I? What are you, loco?"

"Bu-bu-bu-bu-" Ruby babbled like an idiot. Stuck in her stupor, Juan simply walked past by her and approached Yang, where he took her hands in his own and stared lovingly into each other's eyes.

"Ah, my  _flor de fuego_ ," Juan spoke breathlessly, never once taking his eyes away from his beloved. "How has your day been so far?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Yang smirked, gripping onto Juan's hands and pulling him close to where their bodies were pressed up against each other, making sure that he felt the rapid beating of her own heart upon his chest. "It has been wonderful. And I feel that it's only going to get better from here on out," she leaned close to his ear and blew into it, earning a shiver of delight from the boy.

"H-hold on! This isn't ri- Wait, what?" Ruby snapped her head to the side, ready to argue just how wrong everything was before realizing that she was no longer in Beacon Academy's cafeteria anymore. Rather, she found herself standing on a red velvet aisle before an altar of a extravagant church somewhere.

To her confusion, she was no longer dressed in her school uniform. Instead, she was wearing a beautiful red dress that had accents of rose petals embroidered onto one end of the lower half. Frantically looking around, she saw that all her friends, save for Pyrrha, were sitting by the seats on the aisle, also dressed appropriately for the occasion, whatever it was.

* * *

"What's going on?" Ruby asked aloud, only to get shushed by Weiss.

"Shh!" Weiss brought a finger to her lips. "Ruby, what are you doing? Get over her right this instant, you're making a scene!"

"Weiss, what is all this? Talk to me," she asked, earning a hard glare from the ice cold heiress.

"What on earth are you going on about? Is that any way to act during your sister's _wedding day?_ " Weiss rebuked.

"My sister's what now!?" Ruby did her best not to sound too loud or shocked, but only barely. Hesitantly, she turned her head slowly to the altar and nearly suffered a sudden heart attack by what she saw.

Juan was up there on the altar, dressed in an exquisite blindingly white tuxedo that beared his family's yellow crest on the back of the jacket. Standing before him was Yang, all dolled up in a stunning, and overly frilly, wedding gown that was reminiscent of a bouquet of flawless white roses. Yang's long golden untamed mane had been tied into a neat long braid, with crisscrossing patterns that were held in place by an array of white ribbons.

Standing right in between the bride and groom was none other than Doctor Oobleck himself, wild green hair, round glasses and all. But given how he was dressed, a geneva gown with a clerical collar around the neck, it was clear that he wasn't Doctor Oobleck at the moment, but Father Oobleck, the minister. Or Doctor Father Oobleck, or was it Father Doctor Oobleck? Regardless, with a tome in his hand, he opened his mouth to speak.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join Juan Arc, and Yang Xiao Long in holy matrimony," Father Oobleck paused. "Juan Arc, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live in holy matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," answered Juan, a spark in his very being growing into an all consuming flame.

"Yang Xiao Long, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to live in holy matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?" said Father Oobleck.

"I do," answered Yang, who was trying her damndest to hold back joyful tears that were threatening to be shed in light of such a moment.

"I, Juan Arc, take you, Yang Xiao Long, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part." Juan recited, the fires of his passionate heart burning brighter than one thousand suns across one thousand worlds.

"I, Yang Xiao Long, take you, Juan Arc, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part." said Yang, resolve slowly crumbling.

"May I now ask for the rings," just as Father Oobleck finished his sentences, a pink and white blur shot up towards the trio with a wide but endearing grin worn on her cheerful face.

"Nora's the ring bearer?" Ruby asked Weiss.

"You didn't know anyone who could be the ring bearer, so you asked Nora to do it," Weiss pursed her lips. "Well, more like she kept repeating; please, please, please, please, please, please, oh please! Over and over again before you caved into her demands, which didn't take very long."

"Here ya go!" Nora presented the couple a red pillow that had two magnificent looking rings resting on it. Both rings were made of 24 karat gold and had a flawless old european cut styled yellow diamond grasped in its prongs. The diamonds sparkled and dazzled brilliantly in the light that cascaded down from the grand stained glass window towering behind Oobleck and the soon to be wedded.

Taking the ring off of the red pillow, Juan reached for Yang's hands, gently caressing it before slipping the beautiful ring onto an even more beautiful woman. Not one to be outdone, Yang kicked the pillow out of Nora's hands, swiftly grabbed Juan's hand, angled just right and allowed the ring to slip onto his ring finger, all while wearing a restrictive wedding dress.

"I love that about you," Juan smiled.

"I know," Yang blushed profusely.

"Well then, now that that's settled, allow me to wrap everything up," Oobleck stated as he readjusted his collar. "Now, where was I. Ah! Yes. By virtue of the authority vested in me under the laws of..." he quickly pulled a scrap of paper from out of his robe and silently read it, "the great and wonderful country of Rubinelle, I now pronounce you, man and wife." He turned to Juan. "You may now kiss the bride."

Before Juan could even make a move, he felt Yang's hands latch onto his shoulders like the grasping tentacles of a squid and was forcefully pulled into a deep tongue filled kiss that made many sitting along the aisles look elsewhere, and the other remaining half to applaud in celebration of the newly married couple, much to Ruby's dismay.

"No!" Ruby cried out, but her voice was drowned out by the thunderous applause and musical festivities. "This isn't right! This isn't right!" Ruby began freaking out, feeling an odd mix of emotion shake and stir in her noggin. "Although I'm overjoyed that my sister married someone who would treat her right, I'm also regretful in the fact that I just single handedly destroyed another person's love life through my own selfless actions!"

"And that's not even the worst part!" Father Oobleck popped up right beside the agitated girl, startling her even further. Wordlessly, he handed her a manilla envelope that had her name printed onto it.

"What's this?" Ruby opened the envelope and was met with a single sheet of paper that had row after row of expensive looking numbers. Numbers that had more zeros than there were stars in the night sky.

"The bill for my services as a minister," Oobleck responded with an outstretched hand. "I accept cash or credit."

* * *

"Wah!" Ruby's head shot up from the desk as she struggled to rein in her addled senses. As her blurry vision started to clear up, a wave of relief washed over her when she realized that she was in class. Professor Port's class on grimm studies to be specific. "Did I doze off?" Ruby whispered, scratching at her head. "Guess it makes sense, I was wiped out yesterday. But man, talk about one heck of a dream."

She chuckled to herself about how ludicrous, and lucid, her dream was. But it wasn't long before her revelry was cut short when she noticed that almost everyone in class was giving her an odd look, even her own teammates.

Blake did her best to avoid her gaze and to stay quiet, but it was obvious she was holding back one heck of a laugh. Yang was even more obvious than Blake, with both her hands cupped over her mouth and snorts indicating a steady build up for a jovial laughing fit. Weiss on the other hand had a heavy blush on her face and her head turned to the side. She wanted to make others know that she had no connection with Ruby whatsoever.

"Miss Rose!" Professor Port's voice boomed in the classroom, bringing Ruby's attention straight to the plump instructor. "Good heavens child, have you no inkling of shame?"

"Huh, what?" Ruby looked down at herself and became as red as Weiss was. She was in class, dressed in nothing but a modest beige colored bra and underwear. "Eep!" Ruby quickly covered herself up as best she could before the laughing and the pointing started. "Ah! This is a nightmare! Can this day get any worse?"

"Well, since you're still here and not running off to cover up your unladylike nakedness, I take it that you're prepared for today's pop quiz?" Professor Port asked with a raise of his grey eyebrow.

* * *

"Ah!" Ruby shouted as her body jolted violently out of bed, causing the poor girl to become entangled within the warm and fluffy bindings of her blankets and fall over onto the floor. When she was finally free from her blanket, Ruby pinched herself several times on the cheek to make sure that she was back in the material plane and not the realm of dreams. When her cheek started feeling numb, she knew that she was back home.

Surprisingly, her little show didn't wake anyone up, but she was thankful for that. The last thing she needed was to wake up all of Remnant with her nighttime fits. Rushing over to the mirror in the room, Ruby gave herself a quick once over and came to a sound conclusion about her appearance; she looked like absolute crap. Messy matted hair, dark rings around her eyes, clammy skin, she might as well have been a teenage zombie at the point.

"Ugh, what happened last night?" Ruby groaned as she fell back against the mirror and slowly slid down to the floor. Rubbing at her temples, she recalled having one hell of a time yesterday.

_Johann, Penny, the White Fang, a bomb, Jago_ , and  _escaping from the law_  are words, names, and sentence fragments that pretty much summed up everything that happened in the span of a single day. But it didn't stop there. The moment everyone reached Beacon Academy and the front doors of their respective rooms, Ruby, Blake, and Yang encountered a very ticked off Weiss who gave them an earful about their irresponsible antics they won't forget anytime soon.

Shortly after that, everyone washed up and hit the hay faster than a 50. caliber sniper round entering some poor grimm's skull at maximum velocity. But even then, Ruby guessed the events of yesterday refused to leave her alone, even in her sleep, culminating into a series of nightmares most foul.

"My sister and Juan tieing the knot..." Ruby sighed, "I honestly don't know how I feel about that." She leaned her head up against the mirror, wondering about tomorrow and what it'll bring. But perhaps more importantly,

"How am I going break the news to everyone?"


	19. The Truth Hurts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby unveils the truth about Jaune.

"Alright, let's try this again," Ruby took a deep breath and locked a steely gaze towards her reflection in the bathroom mirror. "So, you're all probably wondering why I called you here," she began evenly. "You see, it has something to do with Jaune. Now, I don't know how to say this without all of you freaking out, but he's not who you think he- Oh! No, no, no!" she huffed angrily and fell back onto the toilet seat with a thump.

Ruby had locked herself in her dorm's bathroom and remained there for the better portion of three hours now. Ever since the moment she woke up, courtesy of another guilt induced nightmare, she had been trying to come up with a good, or at the very least, passable way to tell the rest of team JNPR, and Weiss, that she scrambled Jaune's egg salad. But try as she might, it hasn't happened yet.

However, If there is one thing she had going her way this morning, it's that it's the weekends, and everyone else had left enjoy their day, giving her some much needed privacy to practice her speech.

"Ugh! Why is this so hard!?" she shouted to the heavens before her body slumped in dejection. "I don't know what to say..." she mumbled. "What can I say?"

"Ruby!" the sudden sound of Weiss's authoritative voice, followed by a series of loud knocks snapped Ruby out of her funk. "You've been in there for hours! What on earth did you eat yesterday? Wait, you know what, don't tell me. Just finish up and get out, because in case you didn't know, some of us have to do our business too!"

"But I'm not done yet," Ruby blurted out before swiftly clamping her hand over her mouth. By the way she said it, it sounded like she was dealing with a severe case of constipation. "Uh... um, I mean... I-I-I'm not done cleaning up the place yet! Yeah, that's it. Like, wow, look at all these grout stains! Maybe we should tell Yang to ease up the showering, eh? Gotta save the water for the fishies!"

"You? Cleaning? Am I hearing that right?" Weiss sounded skeptical. "Unless the Ruby I know had been hypnotized into being an obsessive compulsive neat freak, I'm not buying it. You're up to something, and I'm beginning to think that it doesn't involve ' _business_ ' or cleaning."

"Drat," Ruby whispered beneath her breath. "She saw right through that. As expected of Weiss and her cunning. But did she have to bring up hypnotism of all things?" she grimaced.

"Ruby! Come on!" Weiss knocked again. "Monty forbid if you've been exploring your body for the last three hours! I don't care if it's natural to be curious as an adolescent, that's no excuse for you to hog the bathroom just to sate your unquenchable thirst for bodily release!"

"What!? N-no! I-it isn't that, I-I swear!" Ruby furiously stuttered at Weiss's accusative implications as she turned a deep shade of red. "Look! I-uh, well... the thing is, you see... Alright! I'm coming out!" Ruby wasted no time in unlocking the bathroom door and sprinting out as fast as she could before Weiss could give her a lecture about hair growing in weird places and why it's okay to think boys aren't quite as icky anymore.

"There, are you happy?" Ruby panted.

"Very," Weiss replied with a smug grin plastered on her face and a snooty turn of the nose. "Now go on, shoo. Let a girl have some privacy, will you?" she began pushing Ruby out of the room and into the hallways. "Go do something that doesn't make you look like a shut in. Uh- buh-bye."

"But-" Ruby couldn't even get two words out before the door was unceremoniously slammed in her face. Sighing heavily, she reached for her scroll out of her pocket and stared at it intensely as she contemplated on her next course of action. Once it was hastily decided, she began dialing for Blake and waited for her response. "Come on, Blake. Pick up." She tapped her foot impatiently.

"Hello?" Blake answered. "Ruby? What's up?"

"Hey, Blake, I need your help for something."

"Sure, what do you need?"

"I need you to go gather Yang, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren for me. We'll meet up in one of the training rooms in half an hour. Preferably one that isn't smashed to bits."

"Of course. What about Jago and Weiss?"

"I'll speak to Weiss myself. As for Jago... eh, it'd probably be best to just leave him be for now."

"Alright, consider it done. But would you mind telling me what this is about?"

"Oh, trust me. You know what it's about..."

* * *

"...And now he calls himself  **Jago the Jaguar**  and knows all kinds of funny named martial arts," Ruby paused for a breath as she began to pant heavily. Once again, Ruby found herself retelling her misadventures with Jaune and his multiple personas. Starting all the way from the beginning with the genesis of Juan Arc, then to the walking liability that was Johann, and finally topping it all off with the powerful pugilist named Jago.

It was tiring retelling everything all over again, and frankly, it was grating on her nerves. Hopefully, this will have to be the last time she ever has do it. If not, she's going to have to come up with the abridged version real soon.

Giving herself a moment's reprieve, she let everyone in the room absorb her story of whimsy and absurdity and patiently awaited their reactions. Judging by the bemused expression their faces, however, it was obvious that the tall tale was hard to swallow. Aside from Pyrrha, whose face was blank, only Yang and Blake had an inkling of acceptances towards all this hypnosis nonsense, despite already witnessing Ruby performing it firsthand.

"That's... a lot to take in," Ren nodded. "Though it would explain Jaune's sudden change in personality, to have many more all because of a plastic toy ring seems like a outrageous flight of fancy. I'm sorry, Ruby, I don't believe you."

"I don't expect everyone to believe me right off the bat, Ren, but it's the truth." Ruby remained adamant.

"I'm still trying grasp everything else that happened to you," said Weiss with a raise of her eyebrow. "You guys trashed an entire White Fang facility yesterday, all by yourselves? Without consulting me?" she turned to Yang and Blake, who both gave her a half hearted shrug in response.

"It was a spur of the moment kind of thing," replied Blake. "We had to make a choice quick, otherwise there would've been dire consequences."

"Riiiiight," Weiss drawled. "This ' _bomb_ ' that ' _Johann_ ' built before he became this ' _Jago the Jaguar_ ' person and ' _singlehandedly defeated a whole army of White Fang members all by himself_ ' definitely would've ended up with dire consequences if you hadn't intervened." She spoke with a voice that was absolutely dripping with sarcasm, and used air quotes to specify everything she believed to be nothing more than a part of Ruby's overactive imagination.

"Next thing you're going to tell me is the EMP blast yesterday was all of your doing too," she gave Ruby a look.

Anticipating Weiss seemingly neverending sense of skepticism, Ruby pulled out her scroll and held it up sideways for everyone to see. Huddling together, Nora, Ren, Pyrrha, and Weiss all watched a short clip of a news segment that had just recently made it onto the net.

* * *

"Breaking news, exclusive footage from the aftermath of a daring raid upon a hidden White Fang facility deep in the heart of the Vale mountain range and the supposed source of the mysterious EMP explosion earlier in the day before. We'll now go to our camera crew who are on location at the scene of the crime," said the news anchor as the image on the screen flickered to show the aftermath of yesterday's scuffle.

In the video, it displayed the cave that Ruby, Blake, Yang, and Jago escaped from. Several armed policemen and soldiers were out and about in the night, diligently rounding up all the injured White Fang mooks that Jago crippled beyond belief into ambulance shuttles as they all groaned in agony. Panning to the side, the camera filming the scene came upon a slightly portly police chief who looked visibly exhausted.

"Sir, sir!" the reporter shouted. "Do you have any idea what happened here?"

"Well..." the chief started with a scratch of his chin. "From what we've uncovered in these caves so far, it would appear that the White Fang had somehow constructed a working EMP bomb and were planning to detonate it within a major metropolitan area unless they were given what they wanted. We assumed that construction of the bomb backfired on them, resulting in the explosion."

"But what could've caused all of this?" the reporter gestured to all of the injured White Fang members. "If memory serves, an EMP blast would only disable electrical devices. What on earth could've severely injured all of these people?"

"Why don't you ask one of these guys yourself?" said the chief before another screen transition. This time, the video displayed the inside of an ambulance shuttle where a group of paramedics were holding down an extremely violent rabbit faunus suffering from a psychotic episode. Thrashing about, the faunus flailed her limbs and screamed wildly as the paramedics attempted, or rather, struggled to sedate her.

"Ma'am! Ma'am! Calm down!" a paramedic shouted as she held down the faunus's arm.

"NO!" the faunus screamed. "Let me go! He's coming for me! HE COMING FOR ME!"

"Who!?"

" **THE JAGUAR! THE JAGUAR!** " she screamed hysterically. Before the situation in the shuttle could escalate even further, the image immediately switched back to the reporter and the chief.

"I've interviewed a few of the White Fang, and this ' _Jaguar_ ' character keeps popping up. Do you have any idea who or what this is?" the reporter asked.

"Dunno," the chief replied simply with a dismissive shrug. "All that matters was that he, or she, or whatever, made it a whole heck of a lot easier for us to bag Roman Torchwick."

"You know, when I think about it, the Jaguar sounds like some kind of superhero in my opinion."

"Please," the chief scoffed. "I don't want to deal with any more masked animal themed crusaders 'fighting for what's right' than I have to. The White Fang are more than enough thank you very much."

"Well, there you have it folks," the reporter turned to face the camera. "A botched attempt to create a super weapon, and perhaps the emergence of a hero safeguarding Vale and its citizens from the shadows. I'm- hey! What are you doing!" the reporter cried before a scrappy looking Roman Torchwick ran up towards the camera and began shouting.

"I know you're out there somewhere, red! Don't think I'm just gonna let this go! When I get my hands you and those punk friends of yours, you're gonna regret messing with Roman Tor- Ah!" he couldn't finish as he was forcefully tackled to the ground by several police officers, knocking the cameraman aside and cutting the video feed to static, leaving only the sound behind.

"Don't touch me you pig! If I weren't cuffed I'd clock you right across the- oof!" a loud thwack sound echoed through the speakers of Ruby's scroll, eliciting a slight wince from those listening.

"Sheesh, I'd thought he'd never shut up..."

"..."

* * *

"Believe us now?" said Yang with a smug, if not slightly lopsided, grin.

"Uh..." Weiss looked hesitant. "Hmph, fine. I believe you." she conceded. "But I'm still not buying the whole hypnosis deal. Not without some proof that the buffoon is a entirely different person."

"So... Jaune's a superhero now?" Nora asked as he eyes slowly lit up with childlike wonder. "Does that mean we'll get cool costumes and alter egos? Oh! Oh! I wanna be called Hammer Girl! No, wait. That sounds a bit generic. How about: The Pink Pounder! Yeah, that's got a good ring to it. Or what about- mmph mmph," Ren casually clasped his hands over Nora's mouth, but that didn't stop the girl from speaking past it.

"Nora, can you save it for another time?" Ren asked, prompting a nod from her. Removing his hand from Nora's mouth, he turned back to Ruby and spoke, "I'm with Weiss on this one. I'm not exactly a firm believer in hypnosis."

"Well, would a demonstration change your mind?" Ruby suggested.

"What kind of demonstration?" Ren looked intrigued.

"Jago's a fighter. He'll come running if there's a brawl nearby. See it for yourself how much he's changed," said Ruby with an ominous air surrounding her.

"Very well," Ren nodded, "but who will his opponent be?" almost as if on cue, the doors leading to the practice room swung open, snapping everyone's attention towards a new dynamic duo entering the practice room.

"Hey everybody, how's it hanging?" Gracing everyone with their flamboyant presence was none other than Sun Wukong, the mischievous monkey faunus, and Neptune Vasilias, his K-pop star wannabe friend. Together, they strut towards the group with such nonchalant swagger that their combined ' _coolness_ ' began to chill the room.

"Whoa, where'd you two come from?" asked Yang. " We hadn't seen you all week."

"We were out on a mission and just got back only recently," replied Neptune before casting an indignant glare towards Sun. "Although, we would've gotten home sooner if someone had kept their hands where they were instead of frisking around for food."

"Hey, how was I supposed to know that those bananas were right above a nest full of angry Deathstalkers hatchlings?" Sun shrugged. "I'm not perfect."

"...Anyway," Neptune continued, "after routing out a lot more Grimm than we had too, we finally managed to make it back to Beacon just the other day."

"And not a moment too soon," Sun added. "We heard an EMP bomb went off somewhere near Vale. Killed most the electricity around the city and kept it dark for hours before the power grid could come back online. It sounded like some heavy stuff that I do not want to be a part of."

"But you know what you can be a part of?" Ruby started with wily machinations whirling within her mind. "You two Interested in a little tussle?"

"I'm always down for a good fight," Sun replied with a smirk and a crack of his knuckles. "And I'm even better in a tag team match with my boy Neptune. Together, we're the best in the business!"

"Uh huh," Blake cracked a small smirk. "So getting knocked off the side of the highway by a giant mech suit piloted by Roman Torchwick never happened?"

"We were on wheels, so that didn't count," Sun interjected quickly. "Now in the ring, heh, that's another story."

"Easy there, Sun. Don't rope me into any more of your shenanigans," said Neptune with a wince as she rubbed at his sore tush. "I'm still healing from those dang Deathstalker stings."

"Come on, Neptune. What's one little match to keep fit?" said Sun, pointing to his picture perfect abdominals. "These guys don't stay like this because just I have a high potassium diet, ya know?"

"...Fine, I'll do it" Neptune conceded with a grumble. "Only because I know you're going to pester me about it if I don't. Let's just get this over with as quick a possible."

"Great! Now all I have to do is fetch your opponent," Ruby replied with a fanged grin while wringing her hands like an evil mastermind. "Mwuhahaha... Mwuhahaha! MWUHAHAHAHA!" she cackled madly, drawing some looks of concern from her peers, but none more so than poor Neptune. "Ahem, I'll be on my way now."

"It hasn't even been five minutes yet and I'm already regretting my decision..." Neptune grimaced.

"...Wait," Pyrrha spoke up at last, her face displaying utter neutrality. "I'll go with you. I know where he is." Dusting herself off, Pyrrha stood up and walked over to Ruby, where the two then proceeded to find Jaune, or rather, Jago.

* * *

The air was tense around Ruby and Pyrrha. The tension was so thick in fact, that you could figuratively cut it with a knife. Not once did Pyrrha show an ounce of emotion as the two entered the dormitories. It left Ruby unnerved, not knowing how her friend felt. She knew why she was acting like that, she just hoped that it won't end with her being the first person to reach the shattered moon without a spaceship.

Finally, after walking together in stark silence, they reached the door of Team JNPR's dorm. Reaching for the doorknob, Pyrrha grasped onto it, but not before sighing heavily and turning a dismal gaze towards Ruby.

"So it didn't work, did it?" she asked somberly.

"...No, it didn't. I'm sorry," answered Ruby, trying her best to keep eye contact with Pyrrha.

"I had a hunch something was wrong when both you and Jaune played hooky yesterday. I should've known getting Jaune back to normal wouldn't be as easy as waving a plastic ring in his face," Pyrrha sighed again. "And now we've got to deal with a brawling maniac. Speaking of brawling, how did Yang take the news about Juan?"

"Not good," Ruby's shoulders slumped downward. "She's mad at me because I interfered with her love life, but she's also mad at the fact that Juan was just a persona in Jaune's head. Other than that... um, does CPR count as a kiss?" she smiled sheepishly.

"No, it doesn't," Pyrrha denied vehemently through gritted teeth. "It will never count as one, no matter what people say," subconsciously, the grip she held on the doorknob tightened incredibly, so much so that the metal warped under her might. "Is there anything else that I should know for the sake of my health?"

"Uh, Johann charmed a friend of mine while we were in Vale, but I don't see any sparks there. Aside from that, I'm one hundred percent sure that you don't have to worry about anything else. I swear on my honor as a huntress." Ruby gave Pyrrha a faux salute.

"I can trust your words, Ruby. Yet, why does it always feel like some outside force is trying to make you a liar?" Pyrrha's mood shifted and she chuckled lightly. "Anywho, we can joke some other time. Time to wake up my lazy bum of a leader."

Propping the door open, the two entered the room and encountered a snoring lump snoozing away in his bed. Walking up to the lump, Ruby poked at it, eliciting only a mumble from the person underneath. She poked again, hoping to garner a greater reaction, but received nothing in return.

"Boy, he is out cold," commented Ruby as she kept poking at the lump.

"He's been like this ever since last night," said Pyrrha. "The moment he showed up in the room he just collapsed onto the bed and basically detached himself from the waking world. He is beyond exhausted."

"I don't blame the guy. Fighting off fifty some people all at once left him limper than a wet noodle. His body just couldn't handle the strain of the moves he was packing out."

"Well, how do we wake Jago up? An earthquake wouldn't even affect him."

"Oh, I've got an idea!" Ruby turned to Jago's sleeping form and moved close to his ear. "Hey, Jago. I got a fight lined up for ya-" just a Ruby finished, a gust of wind assaulted her face as the blanket that Jago was under sprung into the air before gently falling back down onto the bed in a neat and orderly fashion. Both Ruby and Pyrrha were taken aback by how quick Jago was. They barely even had time to register that he was gone. "Huh?"

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Jago from across the room. "Fights don't start themselves you know."

"Wow," Pyrrha looked genuinely impressed. "He's faster than you are."

"And to think, he's got more tricks like that up his sleeves." Ruby got up as she and Pyrrha sauntered over to Jago. "Sleep well?" she asked.

"Like a baby," replied Jago with a smack of his dry lips. "Now come on, where's the fight?"

"Easy there, Jaun- uh, Jago. Try to dial down a little the enthusiasm before we actually get there," said Pyrrha.

"Hey, can't blame a guy for being excited, right?" Jago smiled.

"A true fighter through and through I see," Ruby joked as she opened the door. "Your opponents are waiting for you in the practice rooms. let's not keep them waiting."

* * *

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sun looked apprehensive. "Did I hear that right. You want me, Neptune, Ren, and Weiss, to take on Jaune all by himself? Are you mental or what?"

"Hmm... after everything I went through yesterday, maybe," Ruby stated with a shrug and a spastic twitch of her eye, unknowingly creeping the heck out of Sun. "As for Jaune, well, he got a little bit better over the week and wanted to try out his new skills with people he can trust."

"But a four on one sounds like overkill to me. We could end up hurting him," said Neptune.

"You should be more worried about your own safety in a the next few minutes instead of Jaune's," replied Ruby with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Now, any other questions before we begin?

"Yeah, why do we have to join in the fight too?" said Weiss, pointing a finger over to Ren who was looking just as perplexed as she was. "I don't see why we can't just stay up in the bleachers and watch your live demonstration of the product of your hypnosis on Jaune."

"Because you two are the kind of people who will never believe me unless you actually experience it firsthand, like Blake and Yang did," said Ruby. "Plus, Sun and Neptune are gonna need some backup. You know, to make things fair."

"What about Nora and Pyrrha? Shouldn't they be down here too?" Ren eyed Ruby warily.

"Unlike you guys, they actually believe me. So they get a pass," Ruby stuck her tongue out.

"...What on Remnant are you guys talking about?" Sun deadpanned.

"Nothing important," Ruby feigned innocence. "Just get ready, cause I gotta bring in the star of the show."

"I got a bad feeling about this..." Neptune murmured to himself as he and everyone else participating entered the arena.

* * *

Back up on bleachers, Nora, Blake, Pyrrha, Yang and Ruby all took their respective seats in the front row to get a better look at things.

"Ha... it only seemed like a day ago that one of these rooms got demolished because of love and loss," Nora reminisced dreamily, sighing as the memories of violence, destruction and love washed throughout her active mind, filling her with a sense of tingly, bubbly sense of relaxation. "Ah... good times... good times."

"That's because it did happen a day ago, Nora," said Pyrrha.

"Oh yeah, that's right. Silly me."

"Speaking of love and loss, you're taking this awfully well, Pyrrha," Blake inquired. "You don't seem too distraught by the fact that Ruby hypnotized Jaune, your leader, into thinking he's another person."

"That's because I was in on it since the beginning. There, I said it," Pyrrha finally admitted freely, drawing looks of shock and confusion from Yang, Blake, and Nora.

"Wait, you knew? All this time?" Yang gawked at Pyrrha.

"Yes," Pyrrha nodded. "Ruby suggested the idea of using hypnotism on Jaune to increase his self esteem. Originally, I wanted to help him through counseling, but Ruby pressed for the use of her ring and so I decided to try it out first, just to see if it works. Lo and behold, Ruby managed to turn Jaune into a latin-esqued casanova who..." she blushed, "had a thing for me."

"Uh, sorry to burst your bubble miss cereal box, but I'm pretty Juan was only wooing you to get to me," Yang folded her arms.

"Yes, yes, because you're who was really going for," Blake rolled her eyes. "Anywho, things have gotten kind of crazy now, hasn't it?"

"Perhaps a little too crazy," replied Pyrrha. "We need get Jaune back to normal and fast, before we all go cuckoo. Does anyone have a clue as to how you would revert an individual's personality back to normal?"

"Oh, oh! I have an idea!" said Nora, raising her hand.

"...Does anyone have a clue as to how you would revert an individual's personality back to normal that doesn't involve blunt force trauma to the head or any sort of bodily harm?" Pyrrha quickly added, much to Nora's disappointment.

"Aw..." Nora pouted. "And It was a great idea too..."

"Actually," Ruby spoke up, "I already found a way."

"Really!?" Pyrrha ran up to Ruby to where they were about nose to nose with each other. "How come you didn't bring this up earlier?"

"Hold up, I didn't explain this in my summary of events?" Ruby thought back to a couple minutes ago. "Oh! Right, I left that part out. Okay, so when Johann showed up, I took him to see Doctor Oobleck. Turns out, he's not really a doctor."

"What!? He's not?" Nora exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Yeah. Well, technically he is, he just doesn't do check ups and stuff like that. Anywho, he took me and Johann to go see his twin sister-"

"That's interesting to hear," Blake interrupted. "Doctor Oobleck has a twin sister?"

"I wonder what she's like," said Yang. "You think she has green hair too?"

"Hey!" snapped Ruby "Who's telling you all how to fix Jaune's egg salad here?"

"Sorry," they both apologized.

"Okay, where was I again?" Ruby scratched at her head. "Let's see here, I mentioned Johann, Doctor Oobleck not being a really real doctor, him taking us to see his twin- Aha! Ahem, before I was rudely interrupted, Johann and I met up with Doctor Oobleck's twin: Beatrice Oobleck. The number one psychologist in all of Remnant... apparently, and hippie extraordinaire!."

"Wha?" her peers looked perplexed.

"After a bit of poking around in Johann's head; figuratively speaking of course, thank Monty for that," Ruby shuddered at the memory of Doctor Oobleck describing her a lobotomy in great detail. "She determined that Jaune's original personality still exists in his head, it's just being suppressed by the dominant personality, in this case: Jago's. In order to get Jaune back, we need to make him remember who he really is, and ease him back into our life like the miraculous birth of a newborn babe."

"Eeeewwww..." Nora cringed at the thought, slowly turning green from the more than inappropriate images flashing through her mind.

"Not exactly the best analogy to use little sis," Yang snickered as she patted Nora in the back. "Do you think it's going to work though?"

"We're never going to know unless we try," Blake added.

"I've got a better idea," Yang stood up. "How's about you use that freaky deaky little ring of yours to bring back Juan and just forget this whole thing ever happened. Wah!" Yang cried at the thwack to the back of her head, courtesy of Pyrrha Nikos.

"Absolutely out of the question," Pyrrha growled. "We're getting Jaune back, end of story."

"Okay, okay. Sheesh, it's almost like you're in love with the gu- Ah!" Yang cried as she was thwack on her cast this time. "Jeez, could you not!"

"Sorry," Pyrrha smirked. "My hand slipped."

"Sometimes, it feels like they're the normal ones, and I'm the odd one out," Blake cracked a small grin at her friend's antics before turning to face Ruby. "Say, Ruby. If you already knew the way to cure Jaune, why set up this fight?"

"Oh, this? I just wanted to see Jago fight. It's pretty entertaining," Ruby winked at Blake. "Besides, what's wrong with enjoying a bit of schaude... schendu... uh, that thing where you laugh at other people's pain? Gah, wish Johann was here. He'd know what it is."

"Schadenfreude?" said Blake.

"Yet, that thingy," Ruby got comfy on her seat. "Alright, Jago! Time to show your stuff!"

* * *

Down on the ground floor, the four victi- er, I mean, challengers casually inspected their weapons as they awaited their opponent to show up. Though they all felt confident in winning a simple four on one fight, Neptune still couldn't shake the fact that something was wrong. Then, as if a window had been open next to him on brisk winter's day, he felt a numbing chill run up along his spine, causing him to shudder uncontrollably.

"Whoa, buddy. Are you feeling alright?" Sun asked his distressed friend.

"Get ready!" relying solely on wit and instinct, Neptune reached for his weapon and formed it into an energy bladed halberd before assuming a defensive stance. His eyes rapidly darted on over to the dark entrance of the locker rooms, where a dark figure surrounded by an air of will shattering killing intent casually strolled on out. "Is... is that who I think it is?" Neptune's eyes grew wide.

"It is!" Sun's jaw dropped as the figure stepped into the light. "It's Jaune!"

"He certainly doesn't give of that gentle aura like Jaune does," Ren commented as he pulled out stormflower and assumed a defensive stance as well. "For a moment there, I thought he was someone else entirely."

"That's because he is!" Ruby shouted from up above. "Ladies and gentlemen! I give you the star of today's show! The man of many martial arts! The baron of bone breaking! The sultan of striking! The master of faster! The apex predator himself, Jago ' _the Jaguar_ ' Arc!"

Unlike Juan before him, Jago's entrance into the arena was a tad... lackluster. With no flash or even a hint of pizzazz, Jago simply walked into the center ring with one hand in his pocket and the other cleaning out his ear without so much as a single care in the world. Although, the smile on his face could be compared to that of a child opening a large present on Christmas morning.

"Finally, a challenge," said Jago with his wide shit eating grin and all of its glory.

"...Excuse me?" Sun looked confused.

"Just go along with it, Sun," said Weiss as she held Myrtenaster in a stoic, yet graceful manner. "Hmph, hypnosis or not, he really is a fool if he thinks he can take on the four of us. He doesn't even have his weapon."

"I do have a weapon, Weiss," Jago pointed to himself, " _me_."

"...Is it too late to drop out," Neptune swallowed the large lump in his throat.

"Heck no, we're not backing out of this!" Sun whipped out his bo staff and switched it to their nunchaku forms. "I don't know what's going on, but can a Jaguar beat the Monkey?"

"Hmph," Jago pulled his other hand out of his pocket and assumed his Muay Thai stance. "Jaguars eat monkeys, and after missing breakfast, I'm famished."

"I like the cut of your jib," Sun's eyes blazed with fire. "Come on, show me what you go-"

* * *

"Oooooh..." Sun groaned as his eyes flickered open, revealing a smug looking Blake watching over him. "What... What happened?"

"You lost," said Blake. "You're in the infirmary right now. You took a pretty bad beating from Jago."

"My legs..." Sun's heartbeat kicked up a few notches. "Why can't I feel my legs!?" he shouted.

"Oh, that. It's because your arms are broken."


	20. The Mauling Of The Jaguar - Dark Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The villains make their move, and Jago gains an admirer.

Three shadowy individuals sauntered towards the practice rooms of Beacon Academy. From an outside perspective, the trio appeared to be students of the academy, as well as close friends of sorts given how chatty they were amongst themselves. But a deeper look into their act would prove just that, an act. Their smiling faces and cheerful laughter at jokes were all a part of the facade that they upheld during their stay at Beacon.

Of the three was a boy with silver hair, a loose posture and a cool exterior. Though he wasn't much for small talk, his actions usually spoke louder than words. Beside him was a girl with dark brown skin and seafoam green hair who and a penchant for taking things that don't belong to her. Serious and snarky, you'll find her playing it cool while she silently snatches anything of value that she can get her hands on.

But among the three, the third up front by far was the most enigmatic of the group. A woman with flawless alabaster skin, charcoal black hair, and golden pools of warm golden amber for irises. Walking with seductive swaying hips and a small smirk gracing her lips, she led the two behind her with an alpha-like authority that wouldn't dare be questioned in her presence if they knew what was good for them.

"Did you hear?" the boy started. "Sounds like Roman got himself in a bit of trouble."

"In all honesty, it's not surprising given how arrogant he was," said the girl. "The guy lived like he was king of the world. It wasn't long before his kingdom of dirt crumbled beneath his feet."

"Still, can't believe he managed to get the White Fang to construct a working EMP bomb. Gotta give credit where credit is due."

"You mean the same bomb that detonated prematurely and ratted out his whole gang?  _Riiiight_ , I'll definitely give him credit for that," the girl replied with just a hint of sarcasm laced in her voice.

"That's enough you two," said the woman in a chillingly calm voice. With a quick peek of her amber eyes from behind, the two became silent immediately by just a mere look. "We can discuss all that after we arrive someplace secluded."

"If you wanted seclusion, why not just hang back at the dorm instead of walking all the way to the practice rooms?" the boy asked.

"Because there is a contact here who's waiting for us. It would rude to keep them waiting," without another word, the woman trekked onwards and entered the semi-damaged building with her entourage in tow.

Upon nearing their destination, an old unused office space, the girl took notice to something very interesting off the corner of her red eyes. Somewhere down the hallway, there was a set of doors left ajar, and the sound of multiple voices were emanating from it. Her curiosity piqued, she stealthily broke off her group for just a second to see what was going on.

Leaning by the edge of the doorway, she looked over and saw five people engaged in a battle. with another five up in the bleachers watching. Although, judging from the way everyone was positioned in the arena, it would appear to be a four on one match, with a blond boy being the one.

* * *

"Come on, show me what you go-"

The girl's eye widened considerably after witnessing the faunus boy get kicked in the abdomen with a blindingly fast straight kick from the blond boy, sending him sliding backward several feet. Reeling in pain from the strike, his whole upper body keeled over as he struggled to keep his lunch down and his body up. Trapped in a state of shock, he couldn't control himself as saliva spilled out of his mouth like a sticky viscous waterfall.

However, that wasn't the part that surprised her. The blond boy was at least several meters away from the faunus. In the blink of an eye, he appeared right before the faunus before delivering that traumatizing blow to the gut. She'd never seen anyone move that fast before, not without it being a semblance. Yet, her state of awe did not stop there.

Immediately after attacking the faunus, the blond boy disappeared from his spot and reappeared beside a boy in green clothing. Startled by the sudden appearance, the boy in green attempted to retaliate, but was too slow to react as a heel was directly slammed into his stomach.

As if he had been struck head on by a and out of control car going ninety, the boy in green was sent careening towards the stunned faunus like a human cannonball. With an audible crash, the two collided with each in a way that made those up in the bleacher visibly cringe at the sight.

"AAAAAAH!" the faunus screamed as he clutched onto his broken left arm, trying his damndest not to fall all while keeping the boy that crashed into him up on his feet.

During all that commotion, the blond followed through with his lightning fast assault, as evident by the screaming blue haired boy that was also kicked on over to the faunus, breaking his other arm in the process, followed by a screaming girl dressed in white colliding with said blue haired boy. It seemed those two were also too slow to react to the blond's rapid, forceful and precise kicks as well.

Staggered and discombobulated, the group of four, now packed tightly together like a can of trembling sardines, could do little to nothing as the blond reappeared in front of them and prepared an attack that was sure to end things with a bang.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! We give up! We gi-" the faunus cried, but was cut off short as the blond boy began to spin wildly like a top before letting loose a destructive kick that used the spin's centrifugal force to launch the four towards the back wall of the arena with a thundering boom and sending debris flying everywhere. One by one, the four all collapsed on to the floor unconscious.

It was hard for the girl to look away from the scene after witnessing such power and finesse, but at the same time, it had awoken a fire within her that she hadn't felt in such a long time. While she too could have easily taken down four people at once with relative ease, to take them down in only four seconds with such vicious efficiency was something to be applauded for.

"Oh, I like his style," the girl narrowed her crimson eyes on the blond boy and licked her lips like a hungry predator. "I wonder if you can beat me?"

"Emerald..."

* * *

The girl felt a shiver run up her spine upon being addressed. Spinning around, Emerald came face to face with her two allies; the boy with silver hair looked at her with amusement, while the calm woman leveled a soft glare on her.

"Mercury, Cinder. What seems to be the problem?" Emerald asked.

"The door to the office is locked, get to it," Cinder stated bluntly.

"Of course," nodding, Emerald followed the two to the office where she encountered a laughable padlock holding together a set of chrome chains barring entry within. "...You're joking, right?"

"Hey, don't ask me, ask the guy who runs the school." Mercury shrugged.

" *Sigh* Million lien academy, ten lien lock," Emerald scoffed as she pulled out a set of lockpicks out of her uniform's coat pocket, interestingly disguised within a hollowed out pocketbook, and a set of leather gloves before working on the lock. "You'd think this place could afford better security than a dinky little padlock."

"I dunno," Mercury shrugged half-heartedly, "guess the budget for that went elsewhere."

* * *

"Let's see here," Professor Ozpin looked over a towering stack of paper weighing his desk down with a rubber stamp in hand. "Request to strengthen the structural integrity of the school's practice room, approved," he brought his stamp down with  _ka-chick_. "Request to replace all the old lightbulbs around the school with newer more energy efficient fluorescent bulbs, approved," he brought his stamp down again.

"Request to replace the broken coffee machine in the staff lounge, like you even have to ask,"  _ka-chick_. "Hmm, what's this? Request for the school to serve breakfast past 10:30, all day every day... by  **Nora Valkyrie**  and  **Ruby Rose**... Hmm..." Ozpin furrowed his brow before reaching for another request from the stack. "Request for a rubber stamp that says denied, approved..."

* * *

* _Ka-chick*_

"Pfft, that was too easy. They might as well be using interlinked soda can tabs to keep this place chained up." Emerald twirled the lockpick around her fingers before placing them back into their case and storing them away. Yanking the lock off and removing the chains carefully, making sure not to rattle or drop them, she set them aside gently in the corner and led everyone else into the office.

"Excellent as always Emerald," Cinder complimented with a small smile. "Come, the contact will be with us shortly."

"By the way," Mercury cut in, "What were you doing back there, Emerald? It's not like you to wander off like that, even for a few seconds."

"There was an interesting fight going on and it just so happened to catch my attention," said Emerald. "I have to say, what I saw back there has left quite the impression on me."

"Is that so?" Mercury raised an eyebrow. "It doesn't take much to impress you, Emerald. Golden trinkets, silver cutlery, heck, even some stray strands of copper wiring is enough to get your thieving hands moving. But when it comes to fighting, that's another story. Tell me, what did you see that's got you so distracted?"

"Hmph," Emerald gave a playful wink of her eye at Mercury, "If you must know, I saw someone whose lightning fast kicks would put yours to shame, Mercury." At that, Mercury's usual laid back demeanor flared into one of mild annoyance, and his calm expression turned stern at the drop of a hat.

"You're lying," Mercury grunted. "No one is better than me when it comes to kicks. No one."

"On the contrary, my dear Mercury, there is," Emerald smirked, annoying the boy even further.

"Quiet down," Cinder spoke up, silencing the two once again. "Our contact has arrived."

"Where?" Emerald looked around, but saw no one or even felt a fourth presence in the room, "I don't see them."

Then, from out of the blue, a bright flash of white light flooded the room, temporarily blinding those who weren't careful and introducing a small figure wielding an ornate parasol. After the initial shock, the figure, now identified as a dainty girl with heterochromatic hair and eyes dressed in a spiffy white suit, waltzed on over to Cinder and shook her hand rather vigorously.

"A pleasure to meet you, miss Fall," said the short girl as she pulled her hands back.

"You must be Roman's assistant, miss Neopolitan," said Cinder. "How insightful of you to choose a location with the least amount of detection. Had you teleported directly into the dormitories, the staff would've immediately been notified of your presence."

"I appreciate the compliment. And please, call me Neo. Miss Neopolitan is my mother," Neo smiled.

"Of course, of course. Anything for a business associate, especially one with such a unique talent as yours. Now, let's get down to business. As you may have heard, Roman's got himself caught in a bind. The Vale authorities are hauling him and his White Fang lackey's off to a maximum security prison as we speak. As much as I dislike the fellow, he's an integral part of my plan. Free him before he becomes unreachable."

"Consider it done. He'll be out before nightfall," with a polite bow, Neo blinked out of the room and towards her objective, leaving the three behind.

"That was it?" Mercury asked.

"That was it," replied Cinder with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Now come, let's leave. And, Emerald, put the lock back on. We don't want anyone to know that there were people here."

"Way ahead of you," said Emerald, making sure that the lock and chains were back to their original position. Once the chains were in place, she and everyone else dispersed and went about their own way.

While Cinder and Mercury headed towards the school's inner courtyard, Emerald decided to back to the room where she saw the blond boy, hoping to get a glimpse of him again. To her luck, she spotted him exiting the practice room with his friends. They were carrying out the unconscious losers of the fight and were on their way to the infirmary to get them patched up.

Taking her chance to find out the identity of the boy, she walked towards the group, making herself look as casual as possible without it being too awkward. The moment she slipped by the group, she took advantage of their distracted state and reached for the blond boy's wallet, just to check his name out of course and totally not because she could also use a snack later.

With swift and nimble hands, coupled with some simple misdirection, Emerald deftly brought her hands forwards for an unseen pickpocket. Although, what should've been a quick snatch turned into something else entirely when something stop her. She was mere centimeters away from the blond boy's pocket before she felt a firm grip clasp itself around her wrist and tighten. Shocked, Emerald looked up from her hands and came face to face with the blond boy, and judging from his expression, he didn't look too happy about she was about to do to him.

"Uh... um..." Emerald tried to speak but lost her cool. She'd never been caught before, not physically in the act at least. What was the boy going to do to her? Will it end up blowing her cover?

"...Keep your hands to yourself," was all he grumbled before tossing her hands away and walking back on over to his group of friends as if nothing had happened.

Emerald remained where she was when she got caught, staring off into the distance as the blond boy disappeared from her field of view. A whole torrent of emotions raged within her mind, ranging from anger to excitement and even that of admiration. This boy, she will find out his name, and she will challenge him to a duel. After all, it's hard to lose the spark of battle once it's been ignited into a raging flame.

"Soon," Emerald's hand curled into a tight fist as a smirk formed on her lips. With a turn, she slammed her fist up against a nearby support column breaking off a large chunk of it and scattering debris into the wind. "Soon..."


	21. The Mauling Of The Jaguar - Bright Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jago demonstrates his martial prowess as per Ruby's request. Ruby and friends discuss his condition.

Shortly after getting their collective keisters squarely kicked to the curb by Jago, Ruby and the rest of the audience went on to carry out the losers of the fight towards the school's infirmary to patch up their cuts, bruises, broken bones, and perhaps most importantly of all, their damaged egos.

Everyone, with the exception of Ruby and Jago, had to carry an unconscious combatant with them. This was fortunate for Jago as a passing classmate, a dark skinned girl with seafoam green hair and crimson eyes, happened to have the nerve to dare try and pick his pockets in broad daylight, allowing him to catch the thief in the act unencumbered.

With blinding speed, he snatched the thief's wrist when her hand was mere centimeters away from the lining of his own pants pockets. Gripping tightly around the girl's wrist, he turned to her with a glare as she was left at a loss for words after being caught in the act.

"Uh... um..." the girl tried to come up a valid excuse, but Jago decided to cut her short and move on with his day.

"...Keep your hands to yourself," he grumbled before letting her go and joining back up with his friends, completely unaware to her shocking display of power seconds afterward.

"What was that about?" Ruby asked her hypnotized friend.

"Oh, it was nothing," replied Jago with a dismissive wave of his hands. "We should probably focus on getting these guys to the infirmary, I think I may have overdone it when I was fighting them."

"Nah, you did fine. Everyone else just wasn't on your level," Ruby grinned before taking notice to Jago's deflated expression. "Chin up Jago, you'll find someone who can match you. The world is a pretty big place you know."

"Heh... Maybe you're right Ruby. Maybe you're right..." Jago sighed and relaxed his tense shoulders, adopting a more slacked posture.

However, as they reached the entrance of the infirmary, it never occurred to the two that maybe, just maybe, the world isn't quite as big as they thought it was. And that perhaps Jago's worthy opponent was far closer than either could ever hope to realize...

* * *

Sometime later, after Sun, Neptune, Weiss, and Ren were admitted under the care of the school's many talented doctors, Ruby, Jago, Nora, Yang, Blake, and Pyrrha stayed by in the waiting room, patiently waiting for their friends to be mended and discharged. During that time, Jago slowly nodded off and eventually fell asleep right in his chair, prompting an interesting conversation starter for everyone else.

"I can't believe it, the guy's sleeping like a log," said Ruby, poking at Jago's cheek while he slumbered. "He was kicking butt just fine a minute ago, and now he's snoozing away like before."

"Yeah, what's up with that?" Yang scratched her head. "You know, now that I think about it, Jago's kind of like a light switch, dontcha think?"

"What do you mean, Yang?" Blake asked.

"You mean like, he can be turned on or off?" Nora looked confused. "Um... you don't mean..." Nora pointed downwards.

"What? No! No, er... well, that ' _thing_ ' is an entirely different story," Yang blushed heavily at the images involuntarily forming in her head, but quickly shook them off before they got a bit too risque, even for her taste. "What I'm saying is that Jago only appears to have two ' _modes_ ' of operation, so to speak."

"You know, now that I think about it..." Pyrrha thought back to Jago sleeping soundly in the dormitory. "Jago was practically hibernating when Ruby and I approached him today. All we had to do was mention fighting and he was up and out of the room before we even had a chance to figure out what just happened. He went from beyond exhausted to positively overflowing with youthful vigor all at the drop of a hat."

"And when he first showed up, he was all tired and groggy before encountering the White Fang, whom he subsequently decimated shortly afterwards," said Blake. "As mentioned by Yang, it was almost as if a switch was flipped in his head."

"So, in short, Jago is either super duper slow, or ultra fast?" replied Nora, still having trouble trying to comprehend the subject.

"By the way to said it, you make him sound like a two speed hair dryer," Pyrrha chuckled. "I believe the appropriate way to say it is that he either lethargic with no drive or motivation, or extremely enthusiastic and full of zeal for fighting. Although, I believe there's also a secondary reason for this demeanor."

"Would you be as so kind as to elaborate for us then?" said Blake.

"Well, it's kind of obvious when you think about it. He's just tired and simply needs some rest," Pyrrha stated as a matter o' factly. "When he isn't fighting, he's bored out of his mind and completely lacks any sense of drive, but once he gets into it, he fights with everything he has, no matter what. However, it must assumed that Jago believes himself to have a physically adept body considering his prowess in the field of martial arts."

"Oh!" Nora's face lit up with an ' _a-ha!_ ' moment. "I think I get what you're saying. Jago burns himself out too quickly! He can't handle all the strain he puts on himself!"

"And when he does, he becomes extremely lazy or hits the hay, metaphorically speaking of course, to regain all of his lost energy," said Ruby as he began to get it as well.

"My, my, what a vicious cycle," said Blake.

"Hmm... Fighting, sleeping, and just acting lazy overall. Doesn't sound too bad to me," Yang shrugged.

"Of course it wouldn't," Blake rolled her eyes. "Anywho, I think everything we've just said so far sums up Jago's personality."

"Hmph, he may be tough, but he lacks charm," Yang scoffed. "He's certainly not my passionate knight."

"So far, I've created a dashing casanova, a deranged scientist with blatantly questionable morals, and a prodigal fighter held back by his own physical limits. Despite all the trouble it's put me through, I'll admit, I'm getting a lot of mileage out of my special edition Captain Underpants book and officially licensed 3-D hypno ring," said Ruby. "Scholastic doesn't mess around when they do book promotions."

"Ugh! Can we not talk about that stupid thing?" Yang groaned. "Just change the subject or something."

"How we talk about the fight?" Nora suggested. "I, uh... don't remember much of it, " she grinned sheepishly, "It just happened so fast that when I blinked the fight was already over."

"You tell me," said Blake. "It was like watching an orange and yellow blur going medieval on everyone else."

"Well, I can explain that too," said Pyrrha. "Jago rushed Sun with extreme speed and caught him off guard with a straight kick to his abdomen. Capitalizing on the recoil from the strike, Jago ricocheted off of Sun and towards the walls of the arena where he continued to dart around the room, gathering up his opponents one by one before taking them all out at once in a single precise hit."

"Thank you! Sheesh, lemme tell ya, I've been racking my brain trying figure out what was going on," Nora exclaimed. "You got good eyes, Pyrrha."

"More like years of battle experience has allowed her to expertly assess the fight with a stunning degree of accuracy," commented Blake. "But on another note, as long as we keep Jago docile and away from fights, conflicts, and just about anything that could provoke the boy into indiscriminately cracking skulls, we should be in the clear until we get him back to normal."

"Uh, hate to burst your bubble, Blake, but as long as Jaune stays hypnotized, we're never going to run out of trouble," said Ruby with her arms folded and her expression oddly serious.

And just like that, the room fell silent. Whether it was true or not, the thought that Jaune's persona Jago attracting unwanted attention (more so than he already has, that is) still left most of the group on edge. They really didn't want to deal with anything else that wasn't schoolwork, adolescent issues (I.E. boys), or Grimm attacks.

Jaune's persona were always eccentrically charismatic in some way, shape, or form, whether they themselves knew it or not. They were also a magnet for all sorts of bizarre phenomena. Dangers, thrills, excitement and frustration were bound to follow them wherever they go, no matter how mundane or extravagant. If it weren't obvious before, it most certainly was now.

Eventually, the sound of high heel shoes loudly clacking on the linoleum flooring of the infirmary snapped everyone back to attention as a nurse entered the waiting room. Informing everyone that their friends were all back to good health after the humiliating beating they received, she led them all to meet them as they were preparing to be discharged...

* * *

_At the same time, over Vale airspace_

White Fang members by the droves lined the inside of a prison transport ship as they were being hauled off to a maximum security prison somewhere far off the very edge of Vale. Among the many arrested members though, there was one specific prisoner that the guards onboard the ship had to be especially mindful of:  **Roman Torchwick**. He was their precious cargo, and they didn't dare to let him out of their sights for even a split second.

Binded behind several layers of sturdy metal bands, with armed guards pointing their weapons right in his general direction was the man of the hour himself. Roman remained motionless underneath his bindings, quietly fuming about how he lost everything he had worked up for in a single night, all because of his encounter with a bunch of color coded adolescent brats and their hyper competent kraut of a friend.

Every waking second he spent on the ship was spent planning his own escape from captivity, planning his rise back to power and making up for all the resources he had lost, and planning a way to get rid of those meddling kids once and for all, preferably in a way that was as painful and agonizing as inhumanly possible. However, as he mulled on his heinous machinations, the violent rocking of the ship snapped him out of his thought and left him feeling startled.

"Hey! Can't you chumps fly this tin can straight!?" yelled Roman before the ship rocked again, causing the guards that were watching Roman to lose their footing and crash into the side of the interior, leaving them dazed and confused in the process. "Whoa! What's going on here!?"

Luckily for him, Roman's answer came in the form of a dainty little girl with brown and pink hair dressed in a white suit, wielding a parasol appearing right in front of him in a brilliant flash of light; It was Neopolitan. Casually trotting towards Roman, the girl pulled on her parasol's handle and out came a long thin rapier-like sword hidden within. Reeling her arm back, she slashed at the console that powered Roman's bindings, freeing him and allowing to stretch his sore backside.

"Phew! Boy, you have no idea how glad I am to see you pumpkin..."


	22. Jewel of Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emerald mulls on her catch, and sets out to sate her thirst for battle.

From atop one of Vale's many towering tenement buildings, sitting precariously close to the very edge of the rooftop, with her legs crossed and her shoulder's slack was a bored looking Emerald Sustrai, absently staring at the horizon that stretched all the way towards the far reaches of the kingdom's borders.

Currently, she was dressed in a casual white halter top, slimming black slacks that hugged the contours of her legs and accentuated her curves, brown leather belt holstering her two weapons, and a set of pearly high heels that gleamed brilliantly in the light of the midday sun. All of which, save for her weapons, were stolen.

Resting her weary head upon her calloused knuckles, a restless sigh escapes her lips as she wondered why she was even here in the first place. She downright despised places that reeked of poverty and stale urine.

Cinder had gone out today to check up on Roman. Apparently, his short stack of an assistant, or whatever she was to him, had succeeded in relieving the well dressed schmuck from the custody of the Vale police force the day before. But more so, she wanted to discuss how to proceed with her plan now that most of his resources are either missing, destroyed, or had been confiscated by the authorities, and to remind him what will happen if he screws up again.

Hint: it involves fire.  _Lots and lots of fire_.

Because of Cinder's little excursion, both she and Mercury had been given the day off to relax and do as they please (so long as they don't cause any trouble, of course) before the four kingdoms of Remnant are forcefully brought down to their knees and left quivering in fear beneath the looming shadow of their beautiful new ruler.

As great as it was to have a day off though, Emerald just couldn't find it in herself cut loose. For whatever reason, everything that she did put an irritating strain on her body. Like several vices had been set around her joints and were being tightened with every action she made. Even breathing felt like a chore, and her aimless wandering did little to alleviate the nagging aches that pulsed through her limbs.

In truth, however, she knew what the cause for her unrest was; It was all that blonde boy's fault. He had been on her mind ever since she peeked on him yesterday. The memory of his spar with the the other four students were still fresh in her mind.

The way he moved, the way he fought, the way he leered at her with a cold look in his eyes when she'd been caught picking his pockets only served to feed her desire to do battle with him. It would serve as the best way to spend her day off rather than skulking around the shambling homes of the poor.

Too bad she didn't know his name, only what he looked like.

It had completely slipped her mind to gather more information on this mystery man of hers. But where to start? She wasn't all that savvy with electronics, so hacking into the local network for information was out of the question. And since she was already in Vale, it'd be a pain to trek all the back to Beacon just to talk to some people she didn't care about to learn about someone she did. As for the third option? Well, unless Monty himself took pity on her and performed a little bit of divine intervention, there wasn't one that she could think of at the moment.

"Tch, what a pain," she grumbled as she picked herself up and took off at a cheetah's pace. "It's my day off, and I'm spending it moping about a boy whose name I don't even know," a light chuckle escaped her lips as she darted across the crumbling tiles of the tenement roofs. "I need to find a way to unwind."

After half an hour of nonstop sprinting through the city skylines, she eventually came across Vale's market district; a veritable sprawl of small mom and pop shops, extravagant restaurants, and lively shopping malls that spanned for miles around. Coming to a complete halt, Emerald crouched down from her perch and took the time to survey the environment, preparing a mental checklist of who to pickpocket.

Scanning the bustling crowd for possible pickpocket candidates, Emerald found several suitable targets that were practically begging to have their valuables stolen. These individuals all sauntered through the streets with a haughty smirk on their lips and at least a few pounds of precious metal and minerals weighing them down. They should feel glad to have someone like her relieve them of all that excess weight.

Her targets marked, Emerald readied herself to jump all the way down to street level and enact her plan when a familiar looking mop of blonde hair came into her field of view.

* * *

"No... it couldn't be," she whispered, incredulity evident in her tone of voice. But when she trained her vision on that one individual, there was without a shadow of a doubt that it was her mystery man. Far fetched as it may have sounded, Emerald's memory was nothing short of incredible, bordering on photographic. She may had only ran into the blond boy once, but it was all she needed to differentiate his particular head of hair from the rest.

"There really is a god up there. Sorry I ever doubted you Monty," taking no time to sit and gawk, Emerald leapt from off of her perch and dove right into the alleyway next to her. With an elegant flip, she landed flawlessly on the ground with a thud and dusted herself off before proceeding to tail her quarry. Becoming just another face in the crowds, Emerald kept a good ten paces behind the blonde boy, only stopping when he stopped himself.

"Okay, this becoming creepy of me..." Emerald scowled at the thought of stalking someone. It made her feel like a massive freakazoid. Regardless, she quickly brushed it off when she reasoned it was all for a good cause. "On the bright side, I feel a lot better than I did earlier."

A couple of blocks later, the blonde boy and his friends, a short girl with black hair, and the ever famous Pyrrha Nikos, all stopped for a bite to eat at a local cafe. Slinking inside, Emerald seated herself at a table nearby the group and held a menu up to hide her face. Pretending to order a meal, she eavesdropped on the group's conversation.

"Thanks for coming with me guys, the brand of gloves I wear is kind of hard to find nowadays," said the boy in a slow but satisfied tone of voice. "It's a real shame my last pair is gone."

"It was no problem, Jago. Good thing we managed to snag the very last pair before they would receive a new shipment. Talk about lucky," replied Pyrrha. "By the way, what did happen to your last pair anyway?"

"They were with Ruby and the others when I fell into the cave river trying to get a drink of water. I guess they accidentally forgot about it when we began our escape from the police."

"I could've sworn that Yang had them before we left," said Ruby as she scratched at her head. "And whenever I ask Blake if she knew anything about them she keeps dodging the question. Strange..."

" _Jago?_ " Emerald raised an eyebrow. " _A fitting name for a fighter as yourself, but what's with that attitude of yours?_ "

Emerald peered from the top of the menu, observing Jago under the metaphorical microscope. He was different than from before, very different. That slouched posture of his, slow articulate speech, half lidded eyes and overall carefree disposition screamed one thing: the guy was about as docile as a kitten and was lazy like a sloth. A far cry from who she actually saw the day before.

If Emerald had to assume, this was all just an act to deceive his would be opponents. A way to trick them into thinking he was a shoddy fighter and exploiting their moment of weakness.  _Clever_ , she thought. Not only was he an adept fighter, he was a strategist as well.

" _Smart boy, but I know what you're really capable of,_ " Emerald furrowed her brow. " _If only there was a way to get you alone with me, then you and I can have quite the... chat. But how am I gonna do this?_ " Just then, an idea popped up in her head, complete with a ding sound from a nearby desk bell and the light bulb of the lamp hanging overhead suddenly flickering to life. " _Oh, I know what I'm going to do..._ "

"Man, we have got to this place rewired..." said a nearby waiter.

* * *

Before long, the group finished up with their meals and were back out in the streets, presumably for some more sightseeing given how early it still was in the day. Emerald continued tailing the group like before, but this time she took careful and concise steps to direct their movements through a series of contrived coincidences and blockades.

A gushing fire hydrant next to a set of exposed power lines made the group take a left. Some yellow and black police tape cordoning off an entire block made them turn right. And the sudden appearance of a pack of wild dogs vandalizing a butcher shop forced them to go in the opposite direction.

Eventually, they ended up exactly where she wanted them to: crossing the bridge that overlooked the river that flowed from Vale's hydroelectric dam. From there, she went on to acquire her one on one session with Jago.

"Hey!" Emerald shouted at the top of her lungs. "Is that the famous huntress: Pyrrha Nikos!?"

And just like that, a legion of fans and paparazzi members alike immediately flooded the bridge and swarmed the group like flies to honey. Trapped in a figurative sea of people, Pyrrha, Ruby, and Jago were caught up in the surge, knocking them around to and fro, separating the three from one another and casting them about.

Pyrrha remained trapped in the center of it all, trying her damndest to wade through everyone as they hound her for autographs and interviews, all the while doing her best to drown out invasive questions like ' _is it true that you don't shave your legs?_ ' and ' _are you in a secret relationship with anyone?_ '. At the same time, Ruby was unceremoniously spat out from one end of the mob, while Jago was spat out on the other, and right into Emerald's line of sight.

" _Perfect_ ," Emerald smirked, " _Now, for step two._ " Steeling herself, she quickly charged straight at Jago, who was only starting to pick himself back up. However, even though he was still in an addled state, Jago's instinct immediately kicked in and he caught his aggressor just as she was about to crash right into him, locking each other into a tight grapple. "Ha!" Emerald exclaimed as her smirk morphed into one of maddening excitement. "I knew I was right about you!"

"Gah... who are yo-" Jago's eyes widened once he finally recognized the girl's brown skin and turquoise hair. "Wait. You were the girl from before. The one who tried to steal from me." He narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"

"Oh, nothing much," Emerald replied in a low husky voice, bordering on sensual, as she brought her face in close to the point where she and Jago were practically nose to nose. Her smile never faltering, she leaned in and whispered in his ear. " _You_... I want  _you_."

With strength betraying her lithe form, Emerald forcefully broke out of Jago's grapple, surprising him as she tackled him in the abdomen with all her might. The wind knocked right out of him, Jago struggled to maintain his foothold, but could do little to resist Emerald's vicious charge. Letting out one final gasp, Jago felt himself get thrown backwards, flying over the safety rails of the bridge and into a freefall with Emerald right on top of him.

"Damn it, not again!" Jago roared before being baptized for the second time.

No one notices the splash below as the two are swept away by the river's mighty current.


	23. Pouncing Jaguar, Stalking Asp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emerald sets a chain of events into motion, forcing a duel with her fated opponent.

ago patted at his belly as he, Ruby, and Pyrrha casually strolled down the bustling sunlit streets of Vale. Their appetites sated, they decided to enjoy the rest of the day by doing a bit of exploring around the grand city. Vale was a pretty big place, and they hadn't had the chance to properly experience all that it had to offer, what with preventing terrorist attacks by the White Fang and slaying vicious Grimm taking up a majority of their time.

However, even on their day off, there always seems to be some kind of mysterious force from the furthest reaches of the abyssal unknown trying to steer them all over the place. Case in point; in the last hour alone, the group had ran into not one, not two, but three seemingly random series of unfortunate events that involved, but were not limited to, shocking fire hydrants, crime scene investigation, and a pack of wild dogs.

Strange as it may have been though, it did little to damper the group's mood. Coming to agreement that it was all nothing more than mere coincidences, they journeyed on towards their next destination, unaware that their every move was being carefully manipulated by an unseen third party.

"Hey, Ruby," Pyrrha started, gradually shifting closer to her friend for a more discreet chat. "About curing Jaune, reminding him who he really is, are you sure it will work?"

"Honestly, I don't know," replied Ruby, looking doubtful. "But like I told everyone else back at the academy, the solution came from straight out of Beatrice's mouth. Doctor Oobleck's twin sister is the leading expert on these kind of things, her word is our best bet if we're gonna get Jaune back to normal."

"If you say so," Pyrrha's tone was hopeful, if only slightly. She peered over her shoulder, making sure Jago was still with them before quickly turning back to Ruby. "But If we're going to do this, we need to get our facts straight. How much do you actually know about Jaune, Ruby?"

"Um, well, I know he has footie pajamas, but I'm pretty sure that's common knowledge by now. And, uh... he's a little insecure about his combat skills."

"A  _little_?" Pyrrha raised her eyebrow.

"Okay, okay! Jaune's really insecure about his combat skills, but he makes up for that by being a pretty cool down to earth guy with a big heart and sense of humor... who also happens to be knowledgeable on a bachelor's worth of terrible pick up lines, blech! And, err... that's it."

"Anything else?"

"Nothing noteworthy," Ruby brought a hand to her chin. "You know, I never realized how little I knew Jaune until now. That going to be a problem."

"This was what I was afraid of," Pyrrha shook her head. "Jaune kept a lot to himself. He never shared much with others, only to those whom he had a real connection with, or family. Even then, he's, for lack of a better term,  _an open book written in a whole other language_. The other's probably don't know much either. It's going to make things tough if we're to draw out his true self."

"Do you know a lot about him, Pyrrha?" Ruby asked. "I mean, you have to know something considering how big of a crush you have on the guy."

"Aside from what you've said already, the only other thing I know is that he has seven sisters."

Ruby's eyes nearly bugged out of her head from the news. "Seven sisters!? Jaune has seven other sisters!?" she didn't care that she was shouting, nor did she pay attention to the strange looks she got from wandering passersby, and Jago, because of her outburst. Still, she deemed her reaction justified since it is quite rare to hear about families that had more than four siblings at most. The more you know...

"Hmm?" Jago perked up. "Did someone mention my sisters?"

"Oh, no," Ruby did a quick one eighty and faced Jago. "Me and Pyrrha were just talking about a guy named Jaune who also has seven sisters. Totally not about you at all, heh heh..." she chuckled weakly.

"Huh, there's another person who also has seven sisters? Small world," Jago looked mildly intrigued, or about as intrigued as he can get given how relaxed his facial gestures appear to be when he's docile. "I'd like to meet this Jaune fellow. Sounds like we would have a lot in common."

"Perhaps on a later date. Not to be rude or anything, Jago, but me and Ruby still have a fair amount left to discuss," Pyrrha cut in and pulled Ruby back over to her side. "Now, Ruby, before you freaked out, which is something we need to keep in check by the way, was there something you were going to say to me?"

"Why don't we ask Jaune's family about his personality?" Ruby suggested. "Like you said before, the only ones who know the most about him are those closest to him, or family. All we got to do is hop on a Bullhead tomorrow morning and fly on over to his folk's place. From there, we can just ask them some questions and be on our merry way on the road to recovery."

"I don't know about that" Pyrrha sighed. "What is his mother going to say when you tell her you hypnotized her son into thinking he's someone else?"

"Only what we need to hear, because I ain't telling her squat." Ruby stated adamantly.

"Do you think that's such a good idea?"

"It's not like I want to withhold information from his parents, Pyrrha. I just don't want to have any additional pressure from the Arc family, a family that is filled to the brim with countless heroes of lore mind you, than I need if I want to concentrate on helping Jaune. It'll be one less burden on my steadily crumbling mind," she concluded as her left eye suddenly started to twitch uncontrollably.

"...You should probably see Beatrice and get that checked out."

"What are you trying to say, Pyrrha? Are you saying I'm  _crazy_ , is that it, hmm!?" Ruby's voice had a edge of hostility to it. "LIttle ol' Ruby has finally lost her marbles, eh? That's what you're thinking about, aren't you. What's the matter, can't handle a bit of madness? Can't stare into the abyss for so long that the abyss stares back? Can't be seen with a girl who's clearly losing her mind? Can't... can't... I can't think of some other fourth thing to emphasize thi-mmph!"

Ruby was silenced as a cookie was unceremoniously jammed into her mouth mid sentence by Pyrrha. It's sugary teeth rotting goodness brought a sense of bliss to the young girl, easing away all her stress and allowing her to focus her mind on the important details. Once she finally calmed down, she let out a quiet burp and a content smile formed on her lips.

"Better?" Pyrrha smiled.

"Better," Ruby nodded.

"Good, I can't have you freaking out on me like that."

"Where'd you even get a cookie, anyway?"

"Bought a few from the cafe right before we left," Pyrrha reached in her purse and pulled out a small brown paper bag, shaking it a few times in front of Ruby. "There's a few left in there. I figured I might need some in case our talks take a turn for the worse. Turn's out I was right."

"...Can I have another?" Ruby innocently asked.

"Only if you promise me you'll keep your sanity intact from here on out."

"Deal!" Pyrrha pulled out another cookie from the out of the bag, only to have it swiped away the moment it came into her view. Unsurprisingly, Pyrrha found the cookie to be in the clutches of Ruby, who proceeded to gobble it all up in a few quick bites.

"Delicious, if a bit cheap on the ingredients used," Ruby licked her lips. "So, are good for a trip to Jaune's place tomorrow?"

"I'm still not entirely onboard with that pl-" Pyrrha was interrupted as another voice shouted over her.

"Hey! Is that the famous huntress: Pyrrha Nikos!?"

* * *

At that moment, Pyrrha paled to a ghostly white, knowing of what will happen next. Her worst fears realized, fans, photographers and reporters, hundreds of them from all over started to swarm around her, begging for autographs and answers to some very, very invasive questions. What's worse, she couldn't find her friends. Frantically looking around for Ruby and Jago, she could not make out their faces in midst of the chaos.

"Ruby! Jago! Where are you!" Pyrrha shouted, but she doubted that they could hear her over all this noise.

"Miss Nikos! Miss Nikos! How do you feel about your chances in Beacon Academy's upcoming tournament!" a reporter inquired.

"Um, no comment," Pyrrha instinctively answered, still focused on finding the others. "Ruby! Jago!"

"Miss Nikos! I hear there is a man in your life, care to elaborate for the fans?"

"That's not true! I'm still singl-" Pyrrha quickly slapped her hands over mouth. If she had finished her sentence, the rumor mill would kick into overdrive and she'll never hear the end of it from other famous combatants that want to hook up with her for publicity sake. "Uh, what I meant to say was, I've yet to pursue a romantic relationship."

"Miss Nikos! Miss Nikos! I have sources that tell me you're not really a Pyrrha, but rather a  _Pyrrhus_! Can you confirm this?"

"Whuah?" Pyrrha was bewildered at first, but once the implications sunk in her jaw nearly dropped all the way to the ground. "Are you- I am not a  _transexual_!" she roared, clearly enraged that there were people actively spreading rumors about her formerly being a man as fact. "Ugh! I don't have time for this!"

Her patiences at it's limit, Pyrrha gritted her teeth and simply powered through the crowd. Brute forcing her way past everyone till she reached the very edge. Not wasting any time, she forced her way out into the open and was greeted by Ruby who looked just as relieved as she did when they finally found each other.

That was one down, but where was Jago?

* * *

Jago's unpleasant trip down the river finally met its end after fifteen minutes of nonstop wrestling with the thief girl. She had put up one heck of a fight despite the constant struggle of fighting for air, trying to stay afloat, and avoiding sharp jagged rocks and pointy chunks of old driftwood downstream, all while the cold rapids continued to wrack their bodies with an aggravating chill.

Washing up upon a shallow creekside, Jago allowed himself a moment's reprieve before coughing up water and flipping over to his back. Observing his surroundings, he frowned when he realized he was no longer in the city of Vale, but rather Forever Fall. The many red leaves of the trees that flittered about in the wind made it more than obvious that he had been washed away into the wilderness. He was miles away from city limits, and was separated from his friends. But what's more troubling was that he still had a pickpocket to deal with.

"Are you gonna get up or a you just going to lie there all day?" Jago turned his head over to the source of the voice and beheld the image of his aggressor casually wringing all of the excess water out of her top by the creekside. She had a bra on, thank Monty for that, but it was the white lacey kind that left little to the imagination in contrast to her dark brown skin. "The name's Emerald, by the way. Emerald Sustrai. Pleased to finally have a proper introduction between us, Jago."

"You know who I am?" Jago grumbled as he pulled himself up off the ground. Sensing no hostility for the time being, he too pulled off his drenched shirt and started to wring out all the water beside Emerald, give or take a few meters apart. "Then you know that Jago the Jaguar is not someone whose bad side you want to be on."

"Relax your pretty little head mister _Jaguar_ , I'm friendly," Emerald flashed him a wry untrustworthy smile.

"If tackling me in the river off of a twenty foot high bridge is your way of being friendly, then I wouldn't want to see you mad," Jago joked, engaging in a bit of small talk. "...You look nice," he added. Emerald eyed Jago warily while hanging her top off to dry. It was still wet but with the hot sun out it should dry out soon.

"I appreciate the compliment, but flattery with get you nowhere," Emerald smiled again before staring at him intently. "You're a strange one, Jago. I half expected you to charge at me in a frenzy with my back turned, but here you are chatting it up with me in a clearing at Forever Fall like we've known each other for years, or something."

"Now, why would I do that?" Jago raised his eyebrow.

"Aside from your previous statement, how about stealing from you?"

"A petty theft at most," Jago shrugged halfheartedly. "Since I caught you in the act, a simple warning sufficed." Emerald knitted her brow, clearly agitated by his answer.

"Okay, you know what, enough of the small talk. I'm just gonna cut to the chase," in the blink of an eye, Emerald quickly reached behind her and drew her dual kama revolvers, brandishing them towards Jago, who still looked as indifferent as before. "I want you to fight me, Jago."

"In that?" Jago pointed to her bra with small, almost indistinguishable smirk on his lips.

"Don't be mistaken," Emerald smirked back. "The design is purely aesthetic. The bra itself is fully functional."

"Wow, an action bra. What will they come up with next," Jago sounded genuinely impressed. "Maybe next time they'll invent some action boxers. Mine are starting to chafe..."

"That's just the moisture from your pants," Emerald pulled the hammer back on both her weapons. "Now, are you going to cooperate, or what?"

"Do I have to?" Jago asked, and received a gunshot near his foot. "Whoa!" he reeled back in surprise. "That was dangerous!"

"Drop the laid back and feeble act, Jago. I've already seen what you are capable of, and I want it. So draw your weapon and fight me!"

"Oi, oi! Easy there. Like a told a certain heiress to a gargantuan Dust empire, I don't need a weapon, I am one," Jago retorted, his eyes blazing with untamed fire.

"There! That look in your eye. I can see it, your hunger for battle!" Emerald smiled a wicked smile. "Oh, you're alive now, aren't you! You want this just as much as I do!"

"...You're right. I do. But the question is, can you satisfy me?" Jago dropped his shirt by the creek and slowly assumed his Muay Thai stance. "Been awhile since I fought someone I can truly appreciate."

"Funny... I should be asking you that," with a wink, Emerald unleashed a volley of shots towards Jago. However, Jago anticipated her attack and sprinted around her with the same blinding speed she had experienced before, dodging every bullet she sent at him as they sailed through the air. "You're pretty good!" she praised, not letting up on her onslaught. "It takes big brass ones to dodge gunfire like this!"

"I'm not dodging," replied Jago, "I'm merely predicting the path of the bullet and moving out of the way."

"Right... and I can shoot lasers from my eyes," Emerald quipped right as Jago closed the distance between them. With a flick of her wrist, she whipped her revolvers out of her hands and chained them together with her weapons unique transformation mechanism. Now hooked together like a pair of nunchakus, the blades near the end of the revolver's barrel folded open, forming a wicked looking kama. "Fighting me at close range is a mistake!"

Like a deadly ballerina, she twirled her body and curled the kamas around her, whipping them towards Jago in a metallic blur of steel and agony. To her shock, her strike was stopped dead in its track when he daringly caught each blade in the air with his bare hands. He didn't even flinch as the edge of the blades split his skin open and drew blood.

"Not bad," Emerald spoke nonchalantly as her initial shock faded away. She kept the pressure on her weapons, bearing them down on Jago, who was on equal terms with her as he held them back with little struggle. "But there were others ways that you could've handled this. You purposely brought yourself into a situation where I'm at an advantage. I hope you're not insulting me by holding back."

"Wouldn't dream of it, gorgeous," Jago winked. "Just trying to make things fun for the both of us." Tilting his wrist at just the right spot, he shoved his arms upwards, knocking Emerald's off balance and granting him an opening. Seizing the miniscule window of opportunity, he dashed in to deliver a hook to the side of Emerald's temple.

Not one to be outdone, Emerald assessed her position and allowed gravity to take her completely. By forcing her center of gravity all the way to her upper body, Emerald enter a freefall state that sent her hurdling down to the ground at a quicker speed, barely dodging Jago's fist as she watched it swing right past the very tip of her nose. She could've sworn that she heard the sound of a jet engine somewhere nearby as it happened.

Landing backwards with both hands planted on the ground, kamas still gripped in between her fingers, she followed through fluidly and performed a flip kick, forcing Jago to side step out of the way and create distance between them. Pulling back, Emerald reassumed her ranged combat stance and locked eyes with Jago, the crimson red of her pupils boring through his form to better understand the individual.

Jago's stance remained as firm as ever. Even with the botched attack, an air of confidence surrounded him like a thick haze. And then it appeared. A small cut on the side of his cheek opened up, followed by a steady stream of blood dripping from out of the minor wound. Reaching up to the wound, Jago ran his thumb along the edge and brought it to his lip, savoring the taste of his own blunder.

"Sharp heels," he commented as his wound closed back up with the help of his aura. "It always amazes how women can fight in those things."

"They're Gucci, if you're wondering," Emerald quipped. "The summer Grimm slaughter line, to be exact."

"Girls and their strange obsession with the latest fashion trends," Jago shrugged. "Let's change the subject. Your technique, it's lacking something. Are you self taught?"

"So you've noticed," Emerald dropped her stance, her tone of voice became serious. "I come from a very harsh upbringing, as in, I grew up as an orphan on the streets. You learn a lot of things on your own the hard way. Mother Nature is a harsh mistress in the heart of the concrete jungle. So I trained myself. Trained myself to run, to hide, to steal, and most importantly, to fight. Before long, I could walk the streets without fear of being mugged. Rather, it's the other way around now."

"I don't recall asking for your life's story, ya know? Still, I'm impressed that you've made it this far. I commend you for your willpower and resourcefulness, but your fighting style leaves much to be desired."

"I'll admit, my  **Rogue style**  is a hodgepodge of whatever I could come across, but it makes up for everything in adaptability."

"Tell me, Emerald. What is better? To know one style that only serves to adapt, or to know many and grow strong without being held back by limits? A jack of all trades is a master of none, but I strive to be the master of all."

"One is all that I've ever needed," Emerald replied simply. "Why would I burden myself with so much when I've accomplished more for far less? Your way of thinking is flawed."

"Is it? Look over at the river," Jago pointed. "See how the water rushes down the river, crashing up against the edges, curving around the bend seamlessly? I am the river. I am water. I flow."

"Are you going somewhere with this?" Emerald's eyes narrow.

"If you haven't gotten it by now, then there's no hope for you. You've already lost this fight," declared Jago.

"Who are you to decide that!" Emerald roared before taking off with blinding speed of her own. Kama in hand, she began slashing wildly at Jago, who in turn countered with a variety of punches of his own. Keeping in sync with Emerald's rhythm, Jago bobbed and weaved around every hit sent at him, throwing several light jabs in between each slash. They continued on like this for several seconds. Striking, dodging, striking again, rinse and repeat.

At first, it would seem to be a stalemate, but with Jago (and by extension, Jaune's other personality as well) it's never that simple. Emerald realized this when she noticed how none of her hits had made contact with Jago yet. Though they practically shared the same inhuman stamina and reaction speed, her adaptable style should've landed at least twelves hit in by now. And Jago, his punches weren't making it through, but to him that didn't seem to be the case.

" _What is going on here?_ " she thought, sidestepping a jab. " _He may be fast, but at this range, I know I'm faster. And my semblance... why can't I hit him!_ "

Emerald's semblance could be described as heighten reactions. With extreme focus, the world around her slows down, granting her a moment to find openings and exploit them. However, whenever she released a strike that was sure to hit, Jago always manage to make it by a hair. It baffled her at first, but she wrote off her first miss as a fluke. Then it happened a second time, and a third time, and a fourth before she came to the conclusion that something screwy was going on.

* * *

" _Is it my weapons? Are they weighing me down? That could be it, my timing is thrown off because of them._ " Activating her semblance once more, the world slowed itself down for her. She flung her weapon off to the side, embedding it into a nearby tree with a reverberating thud. Free of excess weight, she resumed her duel with Jago by assaulting him with a flurry of deadly kicks.

"Kicking?" Jago blinked. "Oh, now things are really starting to heat up!"

The look of joy he had on his face was one that made Emerald wary, but she couldn't deny herself that through the frustration she felt missing her attacks, she got what she wanted; a fight with a worthy opponent. A small smile crept up on her lips as well as the two switched it up and started to challenge each other of who was better at kicking.

"Kicking is your forte, is it not?" Emerald asked in between hits.

"It is, and yours as well, it seems," Jago complimented. "Have you finally understood what I was talking about earlier, about the river?"

"It all just sounds like a bunch of philosophical nonsense to me. I'll show you that my Rogue style can surpass every single one that you know!" her resolve steeled, Emerald disengaged from Jago and jumped backwards, raking at the ground as she landed. Dropping low to the ground, low enough to where her chin and breast touched dirt, she assumed a stance reminiscent of a frog's. Jago had to admit that it was a strange stance, what with her buttocks sticking up in the air like that, but who was he to judge. "Here I come!"

Like a coiled snake springing forth towards prey, Emerald took off at such speed even Jago had trouble tracking her movements. She darted side to side in a green and brown blur, kicking up dust with each jump to keep Jago guessing as she ebbed on closer and closer.

"Left or right? Can you figure it out?" she taunted. "Maybe I'll hit you from behind? You'll never see it coming." With one final jump, she disappeared from view. "Teeeeyah!" Appearing right before Jago, she used the momentum from her jump to deliver a roundhouse kick clocking in at about ninety miles per hour aimed directly at Jago's head.

But Jago remained unfazed. Shooting both his hands up, he caught Emerald's foot by the ankle at just the right moment and gave it a playful squeeze. Utilizing Krav Maga he shifted his body and redirected the momentum of her kick, twisting her around and causing her to spin with the force, but not before tilting with said force sending another kick in his direction. Raising his left arm, he used his forearm to block the hit and shove it aside.

Emerald pushed herself to the limit against Jago and pulled no punches, or kicks in this case. Alternating her movement, she followed through with another series of precise kicks aimed at vital areas, hoping to end the match as quickly and as efficiently as possible. But like before, Jago seemed to have some sort of sixth sense and used it to either block or redirect all her hits.

She poured more and more of her stamina to keep up the attacks, trying different ways to gain the upper hand over Jago, but to no avail. Sweeps, knee cannons, flip kicks, jump kicks, drop kicks, they were all useless against him.

Eventually, she started to slow down. Her breath came out in short labored pants and her movement became sluggish. Sweat glistened on her body from the neck down, a testament to how badly she wanted to win. Lactic acid that built up in her body over the course of the battle had finally reached its peak. Nearly every movement she made stung with an unbearable pain, but she soldiered on regardless, no matter how futile her efforts were.

Jago, on the other hand, shown little sign of fatigue aside from shortness of breath.

Before long, Emerald's assault stopped and she struggled to remain upright. She willed whatever strength she had left in her body and forced herself to pull one last kick, resulting in a pitiful lift of the leg that nearly caused her to keel over.

"Hah... hah... I can't believe it..." Emerald panted, barely able to even stand up straight. "I... I lost," with that, she collapsed on to her back in an exhausted heap, breathing heavily as she clutched a trembling hand over her left breast. Her heartbeat was erratic. Her heart pulsed and pumped frantically, threatening to jump out of her chest if she didn't keep her hand over it.

Jago wiped the sweat off of his brow. It's been awhile since he had quite the workout. Though he had won again with relative ease, Emerald at least made him work his success to the point where he actually broke out in a sweat, which in itself can be considered a remarkable accomplishment worthy of praise. He walked on over towards Emerald and took a seat beside her laying form, taking in the beautiful surroundings of Forever Fall with a gentle smile on his face.

He was happy.

And so was Emerald.

* * *

Laying on the ground, staring up at Jago, Emerald couldn't lie to herself, he was absolutely ravishing now that she got a good look at him. He was cut up, in a good way, and was easy on the eyes. Those toned muscles wrapped by sweat slicked skin, those ocean blue eyes that become set ablaze by determination when he enters a fray, that adorable docile disposition of his when he relaxes, goodness! If she keeps thinking like that her heart rate would go up again.

Looking away, she distracts herself by reflecting on everything that's happened thus far.

 _The river. Water. Flowing. Crashing. Formless._  Those were the keywords that Jago attempted to instill in her, words of wisdom. But her swell headedness and pride disallowed anything that she didn't come up with, and where did that land her? Right where she was now. On the ground, sweating like a hog under the hot sun after tasting bitter defeat. But through that defeat came understanding.

Jago was the river, and she was a rock resting at the bottom of said river. Like a rock, she stubbornly held onto the belief that her Rogue style had no weakness, and was capable of overcoming anything due to its focus on adaptability. But after seeing how useless her attacks were against Jago, she learned otherwise. The rock tried its best to brave the river, but the river simply flowed around it.

She recalled when she opened fire on him with her revolvers. Jago's exact words were that he 'predicted the path of the bullet and moved out of the way'. She thought he was joking, but once she put two and two together, it all became clear. The trick to her defeat was timing, speed, and control, the three things she prided herself on. They were a thieve's repertoire, and she had them turned against her.

The bullet dodging was meant for gauging her reaction speed, next came the close combat stalemate. Jago wasn't missing on purpose, he was subtly nudging her attacks by creating small openings with each whiffed hit. When enough openings formed, he then went and  _stepped into her sense of time_. Jago had assumed control over her, her movements were not her own. She was but a marionette tangled in her own string.

Every attack afterwards missed because they were off by about a whole second, more than enough time to just move out of the way.

From there, she learned about true adaptability Jago spoke of, to be master of all. Her Rogue style was deadly at close range, it could strike at all sides and still manage to pull her out of her opponent's attacks if she needed to disengage. But with Jago, one style is never enough.

He started with Muay Thai, a solid all around form that focuses on devastating blows using the hardest parts of his body. Then he switched to boxing, fast fists mixed with fancy footwork made it so that he could take her on even when armed with her kamas. Next came some sort of style that utilizes kicks. Was it taekwondo? Or just a more focused version of Muay Thai? She couldn't tell. Regardless, it was Krav Maga that rendered Rogue style worthless in the end.

The CQC nature of Krav Maga was the perfect counter to her Rogue style. Fast aggressive grapples and strikes that kept your opponent either close to you or away from you made so that she was always at a disadvantage, even in her element. It was either outlast Jago, or disengage. Had she gone with the latter, odds are she would've been on the ground a lot sooner.

Taking everything into account, it made her feel enlightened. A great weight had been lifted off her chest, and she could bear with the terrible fatigue. She began to tear up.

"Hey, you alright?" Jago asked, a concerned tone laced in his voice. "You're not angry, are you?"

"What?" Emerald blinked away her tears. "No, no. They're tears of joy."

"What are you so happy about? You lost," he stated bluntly.

"I know," Emerald rose off of the ground and forcefully pulled Jago into a tight hug. Wrapping her arms around him, she buried her face into the crook of his neck, leaving the poor boy in quite the awkward position as he felt her sticky skin rub up against his own. "I'm just... happy, like you are."

"...Maybe we should put our shirts back on," Jago suggested, his cheeks tinged with a light pink. "I'm pretty sure they're dry by now."


	24. Robotomy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penny becomes curious of love. James Ironwoods finds her newfound interest aggravating.

" **What is love-love-love-love...** "

And just like that, the song ended. The echoing finale ringed in her audio receivers, ahem, her ears like sound reverberating off the walls of a damp cavern. It stuck with her.

"Love..." She spoke aloud. "Love..." She repeated. "Love..." She repeated once more. No matter how much she says it, it still felt like an alien concept to her. For one to yield such devoted affection towards another person, it made her, confused. Brilliant as she may have been, it was clear that love was not something that can be easily solved through complex calculations and mathematical formulas. Although she did come close. However, close does not bring home the proverbial bacon.

On the bright side, the warmth that was in her chest had subsided while she was listening to the hit 90's cut. Her body was still functioning well past peak capacity, thanks to Johann, and because she thought about him for that one teeny tiny nanosecond she started to burn up again. The heat started from the depths of her chest cavity and quickly spread to the rest of her chassis. It was back to square one for her.

"This is not very efficient," she said to no one in particular. Just as she was beginning to mull on the concept of love, her sensors detected a familiar group of Aura marching towards her from behind. Standing up from her seat, she turned around and inwardly sighed at who the group was; it was Uncle Ironwood and the rest of his friends. Though friends may be stretching it a little. They were more... business partners than friends.

Standing before her was tall man with broad shoulders dressed in an immaculate white suit who looks to have experienced more than his fair share of hardships. Though he appears to be in his late thirties, the less than subtle hints of grays by the side of his charcoal black hair and the small wrinkles on his face gave off the impression that he is an experienced man, but the stress of his work is causing him to age prematurely. That said, he was still quite the debonair if you got to know him.

Yet, the debonair within is only half of his true personality. Deep down, he was about as cold and as calculating as the 'iron' in 'James Ironwood' would imply. When he wasn't at rallies promoting new technology and weaponry for the defense of nations with rousing speeches and an inviting demeanor, his professional attitude often made him a difficult man to work with. If your opinions clashed with his, odds were he'd make you see it his way, the hard way.

Luckily for Penny, her uncle never showed that side of him around her, much. For the most part, he was very lenient with her to a point. Such was the case with his sudden arrival with a platoon of heavily armed soldiers in the middle of a public park in broad daylight.

"Uncle Ironwood," Penny addressed politely with a curt bow.

"Penny," James began with a neutral tone. "Do you remember that you have a curfew?"

"Yes," she replied.

Her response made James sigh. Bringing up a gloved hand, he rubbed the bridge of his nose before returning his gaze towards Penny. She truly is one of a kind, this one. A marvel of technology and computer science. It was just his luck that an Aura capable android of the next generation happened to turn out as a curious teenager with a powerful sense of wanderlust. It made things... difficult. But, he digress.

"Come along, it's way past your regularly scheduled maintenance," he gestured for her to follow.

"That's okay, uncle. I don't need any maintenance," replied Penny.

"...Excuse me?" James stopped and turned back. "This isn't a joke, Penny. You need constant maintenance, the scientist need to record data and figure out ways to improve your capabilities."

"Oh, no. That's fine. I'm already running at a hundred and twenty percent!" Penny cheered with a sunny smile. "I feel  _sensational_!"

"...Huh?" James blinked.

* * *

Back at her home in a facility somewhere deep in the heart of the Kingdom of Atlas, Penny found herself resting atop a cold metal workbench, naked she might add, yet again as scientists probed and prodded at her insides, checking for any defects with her internal hardware and registering data collected from her central processing unit. It was routine, but after what she had told her uncle in the park, today's maintenance was much more hands on than she would like.

That being said, the scientists working on her were left utterly dumbfounded when they witnessed the transformation that Penny's inner circuitry underwent that wasn't from authorized personnel. Many in the lab were left awestruck by how innovative and creative this mysterious individual was when it came to heavily retooling Penny's internal hardware, but most were furious that their work had been tampered with by said individual, none more so than James himself.

"I knew it... I just knew it," James muttered to himself angrily while frantically pouring over research papers as if they had some sort of ancient prophecy hidden within its many paragraphs. "Letting her walk around freely like that was a gigantic mistake! Now look what's happened, she's been tampered with! Gah!"

"General Ironwood, sir! Please, calm down!" a scientist cried out, just barely evading the General's warpath.

"Calm down!?" James roared at the poor fellow, scattering papers all over the room. "The greatest military secret that our nation possesses had just been compromised by the enemy, and you want me to calm down!?"

"B-but, sir. Aren't y-you glad that her c-capabilities have been e-e-enhanced? I-I-I mean, this was the b-breakthrough that we've b-b-been waiting for," the scientist whimpered fearfully. "B-besides, how do we know if this mysterious individual is an e-enemy at all? T-they had every c-chance to steal Penny away from us, yet they upgraded her i-i-instead."

"..." James gritted his teeth. The man cowering before him had a point, but that still doesn't explain this mysterious individual's motive. Was he friend, or foe? Why improve on Penny's existing hardware? There were just too many questions and not enough answers to sate James's curiosity. Turning to Penny, who had this faraway look in her eyes, something very uncharacteristic of her, he spoke, "Penny, what can you tell me about the person who retooled you?"

"..." Penny didn't reply. She appeared to be off in her own little world.

"Penny?" James asked again, but received no response. "Penny!" he shouted, scaring everyone in the room with his thunderous voice. His patience was already short, and was only getting shorter by the minute.

"Hmm? Did you say something, uncle?" Penny turned her head, but the look in her eyes remained.

"Penny, please pay attention. This is important," James tried to keep an inside voice, and was struggling to do so. "I asked, what can you tell me about the person who retooled you?"

"Oh! He's my friend," replied Penny with an innocent smile.

"He? So it's a man... Is that all?" James raised his eyebrow. "Come on, work with me here. I need a name, a physical description, anything that would help."

"Hmm... if I tell you, will you promise me that you won't pursue him?"

"Now, Penny, you know there are specific protocols that I have to foll-"

"Then no," Penny interrupted with a firm tone of voice. "I don't know what you want with my friend, but he has no stake in this. He merely retooled me out of the kindness of his heart. And if you can't accept that, then you don't deserve to know him."

"His stake was made when he tampered with Atlas property!" James slammed his fist on the workbench. "Now, I don't know how he was able to figure out that you were an android in the first place, but finding him is our highest priority!"

"Why?" Penny inquired with a tilt of the head.

"Because he knows too much! His head is filled with the knowledge of your inner workings and he is a prime target for terrorists to exploit for information! It is a matter of national security!" James allowed himself a moment's reprieve to cool off, hoping that his words would get to Penny. "If you truly care for your friend's safety, then you would give us a name so that he could put under our protective custody. This is for his own good."

"I know there's more to it than that, uncle. I wasn't built yesterday," Penny looked away.

"...Well then, I guess we have no other choice," James nodded to one of the scientist, who in turn nodded back. "Penny, you are to stay where you are for the remainder of your maintenance until further notice. Is that understood?"

"...Yes, uncle," Penny droned.

"Good girl," James gestured for the scientists to resume working. "Shut her down. Mine whatever data you can get off of her memory banks to find the identity of that man. It is imperative that we acquire a profile as soon as possible."

Penny did nothing as the scientists went and started her shutdown sequence, pulling her not so metaphorical plug. It would go against her programming to actively disobey or physically harm Atlas personnel if she had acted in a negative fashion. Curse the laws of robotics for restricting her action. However, as her vision started to fade away and her body went heavy, a small smile formed on her lips before blanking out completely.

She was prepared for something like this.

* * *

Hours later, Penny's optical sensors, eyes, flickered to life as power flowed through her body once more. She was in her room, tucked in her bed as the bright silver light of the fractured moon peer in through the window blinds. It was now night time, and apparently Uncle Ironwood had been generous enough to tuck her into bed after her maintenance was done despite blatantly violating her right to privacy by having the scientist mine her mind for information.

Pulling off the sheets, she rose up off the bed and switched on the lamp atop the nightstand. In an instant, her room was bathed in a gentle yellow glow. The fluorescent light showed just how bland her dwellings really were. Everything was white. The walls, the bed frame, the lamp, the windows, the wastebin, heck, if Moby Dick was in here, he'd be invisible. Even though she was content with her living arrangements, in all honesty, it could use a woman's touch.

She'd been thinking about getting a houseplant. She would name it, Leafy. Leafy would really tie the room together. And with proper alignment, Leafy could also help with the feng shui to generate positive ki and maintain a healthy environment.

Interior decorating aside, Penny analysed her memory banks to assess just how much of her memories the scientists had examined. As she suspected, they had went through everything she experienced in the last twenty four hours, and then some, with a fine tooth comb. Unfortunately for them she uploaded all the parts with Ruby and the others onto a private server in the facility that only she has access to before wiping them from her own memory banks.

Her uncle was probably fuming, pacing around in his office at the inconclusive evidence that the scientists presented to him. He wasn't the only person who can play the game of secrets.

Another internal diagnostic check revealed that some of her circuitry had been swapped around, only to be placed back to their original location shortly afterwards. If she had to guess, her creators had attempted, and subsequently failed, to further boost her efficiency. The massive blow to their egos must have been glorious to see.

"Well, I guess it's back to researching love again," Penny concluded, but not before realizing something that should've embarrassed the living daylight out of the average teenage girl. "Oh drat, I'm still naked," she spoke as if it wasn't a problem, which, in a way, it technically wasn't.

Her body was much like her room, bland, plain, featureless. What use did a android have for physical features that served no other purpose than to be purely aesthetic? If it weren't for common courtesy, she'd walk about in the buff without a problem. Apart from her hands and her head, which were wrapped with a skin like substance, or as Johann had described it, a pseudo synthetic polymer, everything else was mechanical in nature.

Her feet had been molded into her legs to look like shoes. It was a practical design and it blended well with the rest of her outfit. But there were times where she wonders what it would be like to have toes to wiggle around. Along her legs, arms, waist, and upper body ran glaring seam lines, indicating shaped plating fitted to her body to cover up her inner workings. They weren't ugly by any means, it was just a constant reminder of what she was.

Bringing a hand up to her smooth chest, she gripped at nothingness, her fingers sliding around the surface of the metal. The image of Yang came into her mind. As a girl, she would be deemed inadequate by teenage boys if they knew how flat she was when compared to Yang's own impressive boy bait.

But according to the common conceptions of love (as in the ones you would find in cheesy romantic comedies written by talentless hacks, I.E. the author of this story), would Johann be okay with her essentially being a fully functioning cutting board? Not that she was thinking about actually loving Johann or being self conscious about her own nonexistent breast, what a ludicrous train of thought for an android. Still...

" _What is your personal preference, Johann?_ " Penny thought to herself in a totally non romantic way. Perhaps once she finds out, she could ask the lab boys nicely to see if they would mold her a new set of outer plating for her upper body. If not, she could always just weld metal fruit bowls to herself... "No. That would be too extreme."

She was moving too abruptly. More research on love is required.


	25. Amid The Flittering Red Leaves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jago and Emerald bask in the aftermath of their duel. Emerald finds love in the wild boy.

Emerald kept her embrace on Jago for a little while longer, a little more than he would've actually liked. Looking up from the crook of his neck, she could see the discomfort and agitation etched onto his face as he squirmed under her hold. Yet, the boy voiced none of his objections. He was acting like quite the reluctant gentlemen for someone who had soundly defeated her earlier, and to be honest, he looked so teasable this way it was downright criminal.

However, even as Jago did his best to respect her personal space while she unabashedly violated his, he displayed signs of crumbling willpower. She couldn't blame him though. Experiencing such intimacy with an exotic beauty would erode the minds of most men.

She saw how his eyes would occasionally try to catch small glimpses of her body, only to quickly dart away as he mentally chastised himself. And his hand, when he thought she wasn't looking, it would hover just above her firm toned buttocks, lowering ever so slightly but never actually going for the grope. A perverse smile made its way onto her face as her mind began to whir with cruel machination.

He may have been the Jaguar, feared apex predator of the untamed jungle, but in her arms, he was nothing more than a common house cat.

In a bold move that caught Jago off guard, Emerald took her embrace a step further by pressing her body up against him, making sure that he felt every inch of her supple breast upon his bare chest. The guy looked as if he'd been slapped across the face, possibly at the knowledge that the only thing keeping him from coming in contact with her glorious fleshy mounds was a very thin sheet of malleable titanium woven fabric.

"Emerald, what are yo-" Jago was silenced by a slender dark brown finger pressed upon his lips.

"Shh... Just relax," Emerald whispered hotly into his ear. "Think of this as a treat for the both of us. One that is best savored slowly..." Wordlessly, she snaked one hand into his soft blonde hair, holding onto him delicately like a piece of fine china, while the other gently caressed his cheek. Again, if Jago had any objections, he kept them to himself, which allowed her to continue unabated. "Now you're getting it," her perverse smile widened, "just let it happen..."

Letting go of his cheek, she ran her finger around the base of his neck, tracing little circles along the way as she went lower and lower until she reached his belly. She admired his wonderful abdominals, feeling up his skin and muscles by raking across them with her nails, eliciting a sharp intake of breath by Jago through gritted teeth. Sheesh, can this guy become any more teasable? The answer to that rhetorical question is yes, yes he can.

Narrowing her eyes, she licked her lips like a hungry predator and bit down on Jago's shoulders, causing his voice to hitch and willpower to be slowly chip away at by her audacious actions. All the while she took in his scent, greedily inhaling his natural musk as it drove her consciousness into an adrenaline fueled frenzy. She could feel both their hearts beat with rising intensity like the drums of war.

Ba-bump

Bada-bump

Badapa-bump

Emerald's body grew warmer the quicker her heart paced, to the point where it felt as if her body was caught under the sweltering heat of the oppressive summer sun. This raw sensation excited her. It was addicting, like an all consuming drug worming its way into her mind and latching on fervently. She had never felt something like this before, but she knew that she loved every second of it. All it took was a taste for her to crave even more.

However, in her haze of pleasure, a moment of clarity allowed her to regain her muddled senses and come to terms with what she was actually doing. Hastily pulling away from Jago, the two stared at each other with looks of sheer bewilderment as Emerald absentmindedly wiped away the long string of saliva that hung from her bottom lip to Jago's wet reddened shoulder. A stark silence filled the air of the clearing, creating a tense and awkward atmosphere so thick you could cut at it with a knife.

"Er... uh, um..." Emerald broke the fragile silence, trying to speak, but just couldn't find the right words to spell out what she wanted to say.

"M-maybe we should head on back to Vale already," Jago suggested, earning a slow steady nod from Emerald. They untangled themselves from each other and quickly scrambled back onto their feet. They didn't so much as utter a single word to each other as they went on to retrieve their respective tops, dressed themselves, and set off on a long trek back to the city of Vale. As the silence returned, so did the sensation that had its lording grasp on Emerald's mind.

* * *

Forever Falls was a land of untarnished beauty that stretched for miles around; a grand sea of stunning red contrasted by the cool blue of the roaring river that had carved its way through the very heart of the forest. Its lush landscape of rolling hills and tranquil clearings were imbued with a seemingly innumerable amount of trees that proudly displayed its crimson leaves for all to see and admire.

Indeed, Forever Falls is a place that had been ripped from straight out of the pages of a fairy tale novel. The perfect setting where two star crossed lovers would secretly meet and profess their undying love for one another, eventually leading up to a cliche ending of marriage and the obligatory ' _And They Lived Happily Ever After_ ' printed in gilded cursive letters across the center of the last page.

Oh, how Emerald desperately wished that she was somewhere far, far away from this blessed land.

She didn't hate Forever Falls or anything, far from it. She loved every aspect of the nature surrounding her and Jago, from the gargantuan trunk of the largest tree, to the little flecks of red that fluttered about in the wind. It was just perfect...  _too perfect_. It made her travels with Jago somewhat discomforting, if only because of the fact she knew there was a risk of losing all sense of self-control and pulling him back into her embrace for some more intimate alone time together.

Yes, she had yet to say it out loud, but she knew that deep down she harbored deep affection towards Jago. At the risk of sounding cliche, you could say that it was love at first fight. Love was the sensation she felt plague her thoughts when she teased him, and it was also what made her stop, for she knew that if she had gone on any longer than she did, she most certainly would've done something regrettable.

She needed to stay in control. To keep her inhibition in check. She and Jago were only acquaintances, hardly even friends after everything she put him through. Currently, they only had each other's respect and company, nothing more, nothing less. It'd be unfair to just force herself onto him. That'd make her utterly despicable as a person, which in hindsight is pretty ironic coming from someone who's working under a criminal mastermind.

Besides, she actually liked what little of a relationship they had with each other, and wasn't about to risk it all just to feel the high of achieving bodily contact with him again. That pleasantly addictive high...

Emerald skittishly bit at her nails as she trailed behind Jago, something she was thankful for as she wouldn't be caught dead by anyone looking so frail and vulnerable. She was still a very prideful person, even after being humbled. Pride was a staple of her personality, and it wasn't going to diminish anytime soon because of a single loss.

She wondered how he thought of her now. Jago had been nothing but quiet ever since they departed for Vale, and it made her fear for the worst. Did he tolerate her? Did he find her grossly lascivious? Did he actually even care at all? All of this doubt put her on edge, causing her to bite at her nails much more vigorously. So much so that she unintentionally drew blood.

"Ow!" Emerald suddenly cried, causing Jago to stop in his track and check up on her.

"What's wrong?" he finally spoke whilst inspecting her hand.

"I... I broke a nail," Emerald muttered lamely. By Monty, that line sounded like it had come from out the mouth of a cheeky high schooler. Looking down at her hand, she could see her thumb bleeding in drops. There was also a small chip, no bigger than grain of rice, missing from the upper left hand corner of her thumb where the blood was dripping from. Though it didn't look like much, the area in question throbbed with an stinging pain.

"How?"

"..." Emerald hesitated to speak, but did so regardless through gritted teeth. "I was biting at them."

"To the point where you broke a piece off?" Jago eyed her skeptically.

"I was nervous, okay!" she huffed, glaring at the boy with such ferocity it was a miracle he didn't burst into flames from her fiery gaze.

"Okay, okay. Calm down," he chuckled heartily, receiving her message loud and clear. "Let's deal with your injury before you bleed out and die."

"Hmph, hilarious," Emerald deadpanned, looking away with a pout. "I'll stop the bleeding by applying some pres-" she couldn't finish her sentence when she felt Jago lips press themselves around the tip of her bloody thumb. She immediately whipped her head around to face him, and blushed like she had never blushed before.

He was sucking on her thumb like a newborn babe with a warm bottle of formula grasped in its adorably tiny hands.

The pain in her thumb gradually subsided as Jago  _took care_  of the wound. Emerald still couldn't believe that he just did that without so much as a second thought, but she wouldn't argue with results and how chivalrous he was acting. And they say chivalry is dead. That being said however, if she could see the look on her face right now, she'd probably wouldn't even recognize herself.

Whatever prideful and strong willed image Emerald carried earlier had completely evaporated into nothingness. No more sharp steely gazes. No more rigid posture. No more haughty attitude or sultry quips. It was as if she'd been abducted by aliens and been replaced by another girl who happened to be the spitting image of Emerald Sustrai.

The differences were simply astounding. Her eyes were half lidded, gazing intently at Jago in an almost trance like state. Her body language showed that she was quite extremely flustered; shoulders were slouched, hips tilted out to the side, fingers sporadically twitchy, knees unbearably weak. The smile on her face was wide and goofy, quivering excitably with anticipation of some nonexistent reward. She was acting like a totally different person.

Emerald probably already realized how painfully idiotic she must look, but was torn on the matter. Half of her wanted to clock herself upside the head for making such a ridiculous expression and get serious, while the other half sought to assume direct control of her being. Luckily for the both of them, Jago finished up in the nick of time, preventing her situation from escalating to worrying heights.

As Jago's lips pulled away from Emerald's thumb, her elation faded away along with the goofiness it came with. Her old self resurfaced shortly afterwards without so much as a remnant of the other Emerald to be seen.

"There we go. All better," said Jago, wiping away the rest of the excess spit on Emerald's thumb with the hem of his jacket. Judging from his casual tone, it seems he hadn't noticed it when she went from hardened battle mistress to swooning mess then back to hardened battle mistress again in the span of only a few seconds. Although, it's difficult to tell what he's truly thinking in that head of his when he adopts his docile state of mind. "Does it still hurt?"

"Not as much..." replied Emerald, pressing her thumb up against her index finger to staunch any further bleeding. "Look, I would say thank you for doing what you did, but you do know there are other ways to go about helping a girl with her broken nail, right?"

"There are, but none of them would've made us even," he flashed her a subtle smirk before turning around and marching towards Vale.

Emerald was left speechless at what Jago had insinuated. So he did see! A brief flash of anger made its way across her face, contorting her visage into a nasty scowl. She had half the mind to chew him out, but her anger dissipated when she realized that it was just karma doing its thing.

" _The crafty bastard_ ," she mused. " _He played me like a damn fiddle..._ " sighing, Emerald merely muttered a curse beneath her breath and followed Jago. Even when he's acting like a lazy bum, part of his fighter's brilliance shines through every now and then. But still, if there was any time to ask him the fated question, now was better than ever.

* * *

"Hey, Jago," Emerald started.

"Hmm, yeah?" Jago mumbled.

"What... what do you think about me?"

"What do you mean?" Jago looked over his shoulder with an eyebrow raised.

"I mean, what's your honest opinion of me?" she pressed, anxious to hear his answer.

"Honestly speaking, I think you're fine," Emerald wasn't satisfied with his response, nor was she sure if he purposely meant for the double entendre.

"I'm being serious here, Jago," Emerald narrowed her eyes. "Tell me everything. I want to know."

"Well, what am I supposed to say? Jago scratched his chin. "That you're a dirty good for nothing thief? That you're a loudmouthed thrill seeker who was brought down by crippling arrogance? That you're an outrageous tease who enjoys toying with a guy's heart?" though his words carried no malice, the truth behind them stung like wasps, causing Emerald to visibly wince and shrink under his looming shadow. She looked away in shame, knowing full well he was right about all of it, of her.

" _I should've known,_ " Emerald thought somberly, " _and to think, I had my hopes up..._ "

"But, I believe that you're more than any of that," Emerald perked up as he continued, "Looking past your faults, Emerald, you are an aspiring person. Going off what you told me earlier, you've suffered a great deal in your life. The world has tripped you up every chance it's gotten, and where most would've already given up, nothing stopped you from standing back up, dusting yourself off, and moving forward. I have to say, for an orphan who grew up on the streets, that is pretty admirable in my book. I'm glad to have met you, and had the honor to spar with you."

Emerald was taken aback by his kind words. They felt warm, like the sun's rays peering through the red canopy above them. It illuminated her, pushing her out of the shadows and into the light with Jago.

Most, if not all, compliments directed towards her were usually either about her looks, her fighting prowess, her near prodigal skills with locks and the sort, or a combination of all three, but almost none were about her strength of character. She herself had overlooked such a thing because she never believed it to be all that important.

Now, however, she could see that it was the quality that Jago liked best about her.

* * *

"Well, you wanted an honest opinion out of me, and you got one," Jago shrugged. "Are you satisfied?"

"Not yet. Got anything else to add?" she smiled slyly at him.

"Yeah, work on you martial arts," he state bluntly. "Branch out and learn some new techniques, or at least find a way to compensate for your Rogue style's shortcomings. You got talent, but you need to get your head out of your ass if you ever want to compete with me."

"Yeah, yeah. Be water and all that jazz, right?"

"So you did remember what I told you," Jago chuckled.

"How could I not? You practically beat the concept into me," Emerald chuckled as well. "You know, for a moment there, I was afraid that you hated me."

"Emerald, if I hated you, we wouldn't even be here discussing this. More likely, I'd be dragging your unconscious body across the ground all the way back to Vale and dumping you at the nearest hospital I could find."

"Really? So what you're saying is that you wouldn't take advantage of me if I were unconscious in the middle of nowhere?" said Emerald with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Am I  _that_  unattractive?"

"Oh no. No no no no no. I'm not getting caught up in any of this," Jago shook his head and doubled his pace, hoping to weasel out of an otherwise unwinnable situation. Unfortunately, Emerald kept up with his pace and continued bombarding him with more piercing questions.

"Is it because I'm fat? I'm fat, aren't I?" Emerald squeezed at the lower half of her belly with both hands. "Look at that. It's like a chunk of bacon from a gluttonous pig," she pouted.

" _Don't say anything, Jago. That's what she wants you to do. Just keep looking straight ahead and march on. Left foot, right foot, left foot, righ-_ "

"Or maybe it's because I stink?" she slinked closer to Jago, throwing one arm around him and pulling him close. "Do I smell? It's probably the sweat from all that fighting."

Jago grimaced within her hold, but not because she smelled bad, rather it was the opposite.

She had the faintest scent of peaches from some sort of body wash. It mixed with the smell of dirt and sweat, making for a pleasant earthy aroma that prodded at his brain like some sort of natural pheromone. She smelled intoxicating. However, before he could be reduced to a puddle beneath her feet, he peeled her off of him and went back to marching again, trying to shake her scent off of his body.

"Hmm... So if it's not my weight, or my smell, then maybe it's my skin color?" Emerald ran her hands along her arms. "I would've figured as much. My dark skin must be ugly compared to those pale skinned vixens that surround you everyday."

"You're beautiful, okay!" Jago finally broke down under the pressure. "You look like a gorgeous amazon goddess with wonderful muscle tone, an hourglass figure, hypnotic crimson eyes, silky seafoam green hair, and you smell like a garden of the sweetest peaches in all the world of Remnant!" he paused to catch his breath after such a draining outburst. Panting, he peered over his shoulder and saw Emerald leering at him with a smug grin plastered on her face.

"Mmhmm, keep going. Tell me how much of a living deity I am to you. Worship and adore me!" she flamboyantly posed.

"Bah! Women..." Jago growled. "You give them an inch and they take a mile..."

"Aw, don't be like that," Emerald nudged at him with her elbow. "I was just fishing for praise. You can't blame a girl for wanting an ego boost."

"Pfft, an ego boost is the last thing you need," he grumbled.

"So you say," she bumped him with her hips. "Buuuut enough about me. I want to hear about you; the great, the powerful, the almighty, Jago the Jaguar."

"...I don't usually like to talk about myself."

"Come on, this isn't an interrogation. Just give me a brief rundown of yourself. Here, I'll start it off for you. Ahem," Emerald cleared her throat. "Hi there! My name is Jago, and I-" she gestured for Jago to finish.

"Have seven sisters."

"Seriously!?" Emerald's reeled back in shock, slack jawed with eyes wide like dinner plates.

"Heh, everyone always has the same reaction," Jago grinned. "It never gets old."

"Ooh, how interesting! Tell me more," Emerald scooched in closer.

"Heh heh heh, alright. One little snippet of information at a time... You know, this has happened before."

"Uh, excuse me?" Emerald raised an eyebrow.

"It's pretty surreal. I kid you not, just a few days ago I fell into a river, fought with some people, then ended up on a journey back to Vale while my friends asked me about personal life. How freaky is that?"

"Sounds like a wild coincidence to me... Wait a minute," Emerald paused, the gears in head whirred at full steam.

" _Did he just call me his friend?_ "


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby and Pyrrha learn just how annoying the tabloids and paparazzi can be.

A large mob stampeded through the bustling streets of Vale, an amorphous blob comprised of raving fanatics, enthusiastic news reporters, and parasitic paparazzi members all bent on fulfilling one goal: find Pyrrha Nikos. Though they all shared a similar goal, their motives in doing so differed from person to person.

Fans only wanted an autograph, and/or have their photo taken with the famed champion of Mistral, while the creepier types sought out something much more, eh, unique, so to speak. New reporters and members of the less than reputable paparazzi were keeping an eye out for the next big scoop. The former adhered to their journalistic instinct, sniffing out a story that would be worthy of their audience's attention, while the latter merely did so to sate the masses lust for juicy, and more than often false, gossip like the bloodsucking leeches they were.

It had been half an hour now since the people had learned of Pyrrha Niko's presence in Vale, and they were still no closer to finding the elusive celebrity ever since she bolted from the scene with some other girl. The paparazzi wished they could've snapped a quick picture of the two moments before they left, it would've at least given them something to work with. They could just see the headlines that would rake in the dough,

' **Pyrrha Nikos. Gallant gladiator going out with gangly girl?'**

' **Champion of Mistral found fleeing the scene with mysterious lover after being caught in a scandalous position.'**

Hoo, boy. They would've had loads of fun with that.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the midst of all the chaos, two fashionable looking ladies carrying a set of shopping bags carefully navigated their way around the mob, making sure to act an inconspicuous as possible without being weird about it. Once they were sure to be out of view, and earshot, the two removed their sunglasses and hats, revealing themselves to be none other than Ruby Rose and Pyrrha Nikos, looking absolutely fabulous as ever.

"I can't believe these disguises worked," Pyrrha spoke in wide disbelief.

"I can't believe these clothes were so cheap," Ruby smiled.

In order to lose the mob that were chasing the two of them, Ruby suggested changing their appearance and laying low for a while. So, they ducked into the nearest clothing store they could find, hoping no one there would recognize them, and made due with the selection. Although Pyrrha initially had her reservations about the idea, the results spoke for themselves so she won't argue. Not to mention they managed to snag some great looking clothes at only the fraction of the cost.

Ruby practically foamed at the mouth when she saw how ludicrously low the prices were, in spite of their situation. Five lien for a neat hat? Ten lien for a stylish dress? fifteen lien for a pair of designer sunglasses!? Goodness! It was almost as if the store was ran by a deranged lunatic!

Actually, come to think of it... they did hide out in a store called ' _ **Crazy Carla's Bargain Bazaar:**_ _Home Of The Most Insane Deals_ ,' emphasis on the word  _insane_. The owner of the store, Carla herself, looked like she belonged in the loony bin. Bedraggled hair, twitchy bloodshot eyes, screaming in eldritch tongues when processing their purchases at the counter. They quite possibly missed all the telltale signs of Ruby's eventual transformation given how much they've gotten for so little...

That being said, the girls looked simply stunning in their new apparel, if a little... foreign.

Ruby was dressed in an excessively frilly Victorian era-esque gown with a trumpet hem, similar to her usual outfit but much more extravagant in nature. It was a rich sapphire blue in color, and hugged at her body firmly like any good gown should. As for accessories, she wore a pair of cat's eye shades, contrasting nicely with her snow white long brimmed sun hat. Simply put, she looked and felt like a fancy rich lady participating in one of those equally as fancy ' _luncheons_ '.

As for Pyrrha, she wore a flamboyant dress inspired by middle eastern designs. It was colored a dark red, maroon if you're a stickler about the specific shade of red, accented with a bright golden trim. There were innumerable gilded rings sewn into the dress itself, with several pink ribbons coiling her body like a flowing mist. To top it all off, she wore a pair of rounded sunglasses and a moroccan style headdress decorated with all manner of gleaming trinkets. At a glance, one could mistaken her for a princess of some faraway kingdom of the shifting sands.

With these brilliant disguises, the two safely eluded the mob and all of its watchful eyes, hiding in plain sight until the excitement died down. Though that had yet to happen, they were free to walk around and continue their search for Jago all without drawing attention to themselves... well, more than they already have with their ridiculously garish outfits.

Regardless of their flashy fineries, the girls had been reduced to looking for Jago the old fashion way. They'd tried calling him through their scrolls, but he never answered. Either his scroll died or was broken when he got mobbed, they had no way of contacting him directly. Why he hadn't contacted  _them_  through any regular payphone though, that was the real mystery. It worried them, if only slightly.

Ah, well. At least they had no fear of him being mugged in broad daylight...


	27. End Of A Glorious Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jago's time is over. Emerald comes to terms with her impossible love.

There really was nothing quite like a cool refreshing beverage after a long day's hike through the untamed wilderness. The chilled can of peach juice Emerald held in her hands numbed her nerves, but it was not an unwelcomed sensation. With a pop and a hiss, she brought the can to her lips where she greedily downed the whole thing in a single go, audibly gulping, savoring the sweet flavor and tang of the drink as it revitalized her.

When the last gleaming drop of heavenly nectar fell onto her tongue, she let out a content sigh followed by an unwomanly belch that attracted more than their fair share of gawking eyes. Embarrassed yet thoroughly satisfied, she turned around, crushed the can in her hand and casually chucked it behind her shoulder, to which it bounced off the side of the vending machine and into the recycling bin next to it with a clink and a clang.

It had taken her and Jago quite a while to get back to Vale, a good one or two hours judging from the position of the sun in the sky. By the time they had entered city limits it was almost evening. Physically exhausted to the point of collapse, the two decided to rest at one of Vale's many verdant parks. Unbeknownst to them, they just happened to pick the one that was the number one spot for couple to visit...

Walking over to Jago, she could see him lounging back on a park bench taking a quick power nap as a flock of small colorful birds perched themselves upon his arms, legs, and even settling down in his hair, having mistaken him for a realistic looking statue. Whether or not he was aware that he had some feathery company, Emerald couldn't tell. But so long as they don't disturb him, she was sure he didn't mind being lulled to sleep by their melodious tweets.

Taking a seat right next to him, making sure not to alarm his new fine feathered friends, she took in how ridiculous Jago looked and grinned. He was so teasable right now. So, so teasable. But alas, she would have to wait for another time before twisting him around her finger like a spring.

Admittedly, she still had trouble believing that this was the same guy who kicked her butt six ways to Sunday, but seeing him so calm, so vulnerable, so gentle and finally accepting it as a part of who he was made him all the more real in her eyes. Like the concept of the Yin and Yang, both sides of Jago's personality completed who he was as an individual. They complimented each other well, despite being total opposites.

Stirring in his nap, the birds on Jago quickly fluttered away at the disturbance, leaving behind a myriad of colorful feathers floating around him as they left. Fully awake, he turned his head to find Emerald staring at him in amusement, resting her head up against her palm with a wry smile on her lips.

"Slept well?" Emerald quipped with a raised eyebrow.

"Well enough," Jago yawned, craning his neck and feeling the satisfying pops of his achy bones. "What about you? How're your muscles doing?"

"They still hurt. It's hard to move around without feeling like my limbs are on fire, but I'll manage," Emerald rubbed at her biceps, shoulders, and thighs, wincing slightly as she did so. "You really put me through the grinder, didn't you?"

"Hey, don't look at me. You asked for it," he stated as a matter o'factly. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a masochist."

"Who know? I could be," Emerald spoke with a low sensual voice, playfully booping his nose. "My whole body could be riddled with cuts and scars, but I would cherish each and every one of them if they came from you." She grinned perversely at him, gauging to see how uncomfortable he was getting. To her surprise, however, he merely brushed off her advance and averted his gaze.

"I went through this once today, I absolutely refuse to go through it again," he huffed.

"Ah, sorry. I just couldn't resist," she dropped the act, pulling away and giggling at his sullen mood. "You have to admit though, you make it so easy for me."

"..." Jago eased up, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. He just can't stay mad at her. "I guess..."

"Come on, Jago. Turn that frown upside down," Emerald considered her next words carefully. "We're... friends, right?"

"Yeah... yeah, we are. That is if you can consider our twisted relationship of machismo and hunger for physical violence friendship," Jago sighed before brightening up. "Just promise that you'll keep your seductively sultry speeches to a bare minimum around me."

"I request that the limit should be at least five times a day," she bargained. "I won't settle for anything less."

"...Fine," he grumbled. "But if you ever Go over the limit, I'm cutting you off for good."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh, I would dare," Jago smiled smugly. "Overstep your boundaries, and face the consequences."

The two stared at each other for a few moments longer, an aura of sheer killing intent radiating off their form. They were ready to tear each other limb from limb at even the slightest twitch. But just when some serious business was about to go down, the two broke out into jovial laughter, falling back onto the bench as they struggled to catch their breath. When the laughter finally died down, Emerald leaned over, resting her head up against Jago's shoulder.

"What are we doing?" she muttered.

"I don't know. Honest to Monty, I don't know," he replied. "...Hey, it's getting close to the evening, I should probably find my friends and get back to Beacon. You want to come with, or do you still have something to do around the city?"

"I already got what I wanted. Let's find your buddies and get out of here."

* * *

Together, Emerald and Jago picked themselves up off the bench, using each other as support to steady their wobbly legs. However, when they were about to start moving, they collided with another group of people, unceremoniously knocking everyone onto their keister. Groaning, Emerald glanced over at the people they bumped into, taking note of how well dressed they were for an average stroll through the park. They must be nobles or somethings.

One was dressed in a beautiful exotic red dress, while the other had on a remarkable blue gown.

"Sorry, sorry!" the blue one quickly apologized, scrambling to fix her massive sunhat and sunglasses.

"Hey! Watch where going!" Emerald yelled, glaring daggers at garish girls.

"Emerald, don't be rude. We're just as guilty as they are," said Jago, offering a helping hand to the red dressed girl. "Forgive us, we weren't looking where we were going.".

"J-Jago?" the red one stuttered as she pushed her headdress back into place. "Jago! It is you!" she threw herself towards Jago, pulling him into a firm hug. "We've been searching all over for you!"

"Excuse me, but do I know you?" Jago was perplexed. Did he know any foreign princesses or members of high society? Well, there was Weiss, but she didn't count.

"Oh, right," Pyrrha quickly removed her headdress and round sunglass, running a hand through her hair with a flourish. "Miss me?"

"Pyrrha? Whoa, how lucky of us to bump into you like this," Jago chuckled. "Then that means..." he peered over to the blue garbed girl, watching her stumble back upright, her sunglasses tipping over as a result. "Ruby. Heh, should've known."

"Jago, we've been worried sick about you. Where have you been?" Ruby asked, concern evident in her voice.

"I think I should be the one asking that question," Jago pointed at Pyrrha and Ruby's excessive clothing. "What's with the showy dresses? Are you two going to attend a museum opening or something? Maybe a fancy gala? I mean, I can understand Pyrrha being a part of these things being a famous celebrity and all, but you Ruby? I didn't know you had such expensive taste."

"First off, these clothes were dirt cheap. Secondly, they're more than just a fashion statement. Apart from making us look mega awesome, we needed them to hide from the..." Ruby eyes darted back and forth, her voice descended into a low whisper, "... _paparazzi._ "

"Right, them. I forgot all about them," Jago grimaced, disdain obvious in tone of voice.

"Uh, hello? Did you forget about me as well?" Emerald piped up, feeling left out of the conversation. She wasn't glaring anymore but she kept one hand resting on the side of her hips.

"Heh heh, sorry about that. I just got caught up in the reunion," Jago faced Pyrrha and Ruby, gesturing a hand back and forth between them and the dark skinned youth. "Ruby, Pyrrha, this is Emerald. She goes to Beacon academy with us. Emerald, meet two of my closest friends, Pyrrha and Ruby. I assume you can already tell apart who's who since one of them is a world famous athlete."

"It's a pleasure to meet you two," Emerald bowed politely, a false smile adorned upon her deceptively sincere visage.

"The feeling is mutual," replied Pyrrha, bowing as well.

"Say, have we met before?" Ruby tilted her head. Emerald looked familiar, but she wasn't sure if they had interacted before. Searching the depths of her mind, an obscure memory resurfaced into clarity and she could recall her presence from way back when. "You're one of the students from Haven, aren't you? We met in the dorm hallway."

"...Huh, I remember now. You greeted me back then," it was such a short insignificant meeting, Emerald was surprised she remembered it at all before Ruby brought it back up again.

"It's strange meeting up again like this, wouldn't you say?" Ruby chuckled before awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck. "Soooo... uh, how did you and Jago meet?"

"Er, about that... Oh, wow! Would you look at the time," Emerald raised her arm and glanced at her bare wrist. "We all better get back to Beacon before the lines at the Bullhead station starts stacking up. Otherwise we'll die of old age."

"I for one wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment," Jago nodded. "I'd say it's high time we call it a day. After everything we've been through today, there should be no arguments."

For Pyrrha and Ruby, there really were no arguments, or at least any audible ones. While they welcomed the idea of going home with open arms, the whole dilemma with Emerald had yet to be resolved. While she seemed like a nice girl, what does she have to hide if it meant dodging such a simple question? Was their encounter an embarrassing one? Did she not want the circumstances of their meeting to be brought out in the open?

Regardless of her reasoning, exhaustion won out in the end, forcing the two to abandon the topic. With heavy shoulders and even heavier eyes, Pyrrha and Ruby conceded to their bodily needs and joined up with Jago and Emerald to head home. The nearest Bullhead station was only a few blocks away. If they keep a solid pace, they might just make it home before sundown.

"Boy, there are a lot of couples here," Ruby noted as she exited the park.

* * *

Night fell by the time Emerald returned to her dorm room. A low sigh escaped her lips as she gripped onto the doorknob, her heart weary and full of contempt. Her goodbyes with Jago and his friends were short and sweet, she didn't want any long sappy goodbyes. To her, Pyrrha and Ruby were nothing but collateral damage in her boss's grand scheme, and as much as it pains her to say it, so was Jago.

Turning the knob, she entered her room and encountered Mercury, lazily hanging off the side of his bed, playing that wildly popular game about birds and slingshots on his scroll without so much as a care in the world. He was so engrossed in the game that he didn't even bother to greet Emerald after returning home. Puffing at her cheeks, she walked over to the guy and sharply kicked his leg, sending him tumbling onto the carpet.

"Dah! You bitch! What was that for?" Mercury complained, rubbing at his legs. "Are you trying to cripple me!?" his response was met with another kick to the leg, his thighs this time to be precise.

"Shut up! We both know you're nothing more than a cyborg with those stupid prosthetics of yours anyway!" Emerald seethed, kicking him in the groin this time around. Mercury bit down on his lips so hard that he drew blood. One hand was grasping at his mouth to muffle his wails of agony, while the other was grasping at his special place.

"Aw! Seriously, what's this all about!?" he cried, tears forming by his eyes.

"It's because you're an insensitive prick, that's why!" Emerald kicked him one last time in the sides, knocking the wind out of him. "By the way, is Cinder home yet?" she asked nonchalantly, as if there wasn't a guy on the floor writhing in pain before her. Begrudgingly, with the motivation being he doesn't want to get kicked again by his wrathful partner, he shakily pointed his hand over to the bathroom where Cinder entered the room dripping wet with nothing but a towel on.

"Oh? Home already, Emerald?" said Cinder.

"Yeah. How did the discussion go?" Emerald asked.

"Quite well," Cinder replied, a wicked smile worn on her lips. "We'll be able to recuperate our losses in a week. Perhaps even less seeing how diligent everyone was when I left."

"Lemme guess. You torched the weakest link in front of everyone to get the point across, right?"

"Oh, my dear Emerald. I would never stoop so low as to resort to such barbaric methods. I prefer to have all my assets intact and functioning properly," Cinder's words flowed like silk with each and every syllable cleanly spoken. "All I did was give a rallying speech, and everyone's spirits were lifted just like that."

"...Uh-huh, I'll take your word for it. Doesn't mean I believe you though," Emerald shrugged. She didn't buy into her boss's unusual civility this time around, but it was better not to question it. For all she knew, someone probably did get burned, figuratively speaking.

"Say, what happened to Mercury, and why is he clutching at his groin?" Cinder pointed.

"Oh, that... I'm gonna go take a bath," Emerald took off without further explanation.

"Hmm..." Cinder eyed Mercury, who could only crack a weak grin towards her. Seeing his wandering eyes, she immediately tightened the towel around herself. "No," she hissed.

"Heh heh, I wouldn't dream of it," Mercury quipped, something that he regretted as he felt a cold chill run down his spine from the way Cinder leered at him.

"You wouldn't  _dream_  of it?" Cinder narrowed her eyes, the heat radiating off of her form drying her wet body and kicking the temperature of the room up a few notches.

"Er, what I meant to say was; I value my life very much, and self preservation is much more important to me than trying to sneak a peek at my murderous boss," he looked away, suddenly finding interest in the color of his dorm's carpet. "And I'm an idiot for even thinking I could get away with it."

"Hmph... That's what I thought you said."

* * *

Steam wafted off the surface of the water, filling the bathroom with a gentle fog that condensed itself onto the many mirrors within. Resting in the bathtub with the water all the up to her neck was Emerald, a faraway look faintly glimmering in her eyes. Though the hot water felt absolutely heavenly upon her sore body, it did little to soothe the anarchy that raged in her mind. It all centered around one thing: Jago.

" _Jago the Jaguar... what a wonderful man_ ," she thought longingly. It had taken only a single fateful meeting, but he had set her heart ablaze with an unforgettable battle, and forcefully imparted his wisdom unto her when she was at her most arrogant. She had come to love everything about him. From the fiery zeal he displays when he is thrown into the heart of combat, to his easygoing nature once everything had settled down.

She loved him, but she doubt that he could ever love her.

Jago may have accepted her for who she was, and even went as far as to call each other friends, but he didn't know the whole truth. If, or rather when, he finds out about how truly despicable of a person she was, would he still accept her? Pfft, that was just wishful thinking on her part. He'd probably declare her dead to him, or do something cool like attempt to convince her leave her life of crime.

As far as she was concerned, Jago was with the good guys, and she was with the villain. If they were to ever fight again, it would be on opposite sides of the conflict. Worst comes to worst, they might even have to kill one another. The thought alone was heartbreaking for her. She won't hesitate to kill him, and she prayed that he won't either. But that handsome idiot had a righteous heart. Unless pushed to the brink or formally requested, he could never willingly take a life.

In the end, there can only be misery for the both of them.

" _Emerald you stupid girl... Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ " she harshly berated herself, scowling angrily. " _Why can't you just forget about him? He's going to die anyway. If not by me, it will be someone else... What's the point in growing attached to a dead man?_ "

Conflicted as she felt, however, she was well aware that she had options that would solve her dilemma, limited and morally reprehensible as they may be.

Of her few choices, one of them involved convincing Jago to betray his own team to join up with her group and work for Cinder. They could always use some more muscle, and his hypercompetence was merely an added bonus to an already impressive packaged deal. Cinder would no doubt induct him into her faction once she has seen what he is capable of. That strength would be put to better use under her guidance than for slaying mindless brutes anyhow.

Though the chances of converting him to the dark side were slim, it wasn't entirely impossible. It will take skillful manipulation, something that she's had practice in fortunately. The plan was simple: whittle away at his resistance little by little until he was but putty in her hands. She had witnessed how frail his willpower was against her feminine wiles. All she had to do was get close to him and ever so subtly whisper venom into his ears.

She will tempt him with words as sweet as honey, playful little games with her hands, maybe even give him a strip tease or two if he's been a good boy. Then, when he has been corrupted enough, she will sink her fangs into him completely, silencing for good whatever remained of his former righteous self. It was foolproof, it was dastardly, it... was strangely something she was hesitant to pull off.

She could do it, but her conscience, that nagging little voice in the back of her head she thought she drowned out years ago with material wealth, reared its ugly head in. Apparently, spending time with Jago was starting to have a positive effect on her psyche, and it terrified her to no end how rapidly it was beginning to cloud her judgement. Which led her to her next option: cutting ties with Cinder completely to live on the straight and narrow while keeping contact with Jago from the shadows.

Emerald had half a mind to repeatedly bash her own head against the toilet for even remotely considering the idea of ditching Cinder. Like Mercury, self preservation was far more important than fulfilling her desire to be with Jago, especially if it meant incurring Cinder's wrath. Once you were in you were in for life, period. And besides, how could she just call it quits so suddenly like that to the woman who helped pull her out of the gutter, who gave her life a purpose after suffering the world's cruel abuse for so long? It was suicide. Yet, her conscience continued to nag her to do the right thing, thoroughly ignoring all fears of immolation with extreme prejudice.

Oh, how she hated that voice with a passion.

Still, on the off chance that Cinder is actually willing to let her go without turning her into a human kabob, then maybe, just maybe, she can have her happy ending with Jago... Even if it means having to live through the inevitable slaughter that was to come. But who knows, perhaps she'll spare them if they ever encountered each other again.

"Bah! All this thinking is giving me a damn migraine," Emerald grumbled, tearing at her wet hair. As she mulled on her (equally disastrous) choices, a series of loud thump emanating from the door snapped her back to attention. "Ocupado!" she shouted.

"You think I don't know that?" said Mercury from the other side. "You've been in there for an hour now. Are you done yet? Man's gotta do his business too you know?"

"Um, I'll be done in a few minutes!"

"...Fine. Just make it snappy. Though, don't be surprised if I point out that you look like a shriveled up prune later on," he quipped before turning around and returning to his cheap mobile games.

Emerald lifted a hand up to her face and frowned, she had definitely passed the prune phase and gone straight to raisin.

"Grr... I'm never hear the end of this from him," Emerald's frown deepened, only to contort into a wicked smile as another idea popped up into her head. "Maybe kicking him some more will help me with my decision..."

* * *

"Really? You think hypnotism is gonna help me sleep bet- *snores* " Jago learned the hard way that Ruby was a savant with the 3-D hypno ring by now. The boy didn't even get to complete his sentence before losing all consciousness and collapsing onto his bed, instinctively curling into his blanket like a hermit crab retreating into its shell. Sound asleep, light snore began to emanate from his serene form as Ruby took in her handiwork.

"Well, another day, another use of the 3-D hypno ring. You really think this is a good idea, Pyrrha?" Ruby asked. "Jago was pretty tame compared to Juan and Johann. Why change that?"

"Because sooner or later, probably sooner, he's gonna cause problems for everybody," replied Pyrrha. "The man is a battle maniac. If he doesn't find a fight, a fight will find him. You can see where I'm going with this, right?"

"Oh, I can see it just fine. But are you sure it has nothing to do with his new friend, Emerald?" Ruby raised her eyebrow.

"Uh..." Pyrrha looked away, rubbing at her arms. "I won't lie that it also involves her..." her voice trailed off into a barely audible whisper.

"...You wanna know what I think," Ruby yawned, which in turn caused Pyrrha to yawn as well. My, how contagious. "I think... we should continue conversation this tomorrow. I mean, we got a big day ahead of us, and we need to prepare for a short trip. After all..." she yawned again, nearly tipping over this time.

"We're going to meet his family tomorrow... on a school day."

* * *

_Sometime that night..._

.

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*BAM!*

"Gah! Damn it, Emerald!"


	28. Signalling Theory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penny's pursuit of understanding love continues.

Penny was grounded today.

According to Uncle Ironwood, she wasn't allowed to leave the facility until an investigation of sorts had been successfully carried out by the kingdom. After she was temporarily deactivated, he had went and held a meeting with the Atlas Defense Council. Through careful deliberation, the council had decided that in order to prevent future breaches of national security they were going to waste hundreds upon thousands of taxpayer money to try and discover Johann's identity.

Admittedly, it was excessive, reckless, and completely unnecessary, but never let it be said that her uncle wasn't a thorough individual. She'll have to do something about the investigation later, stifle it somehow or even orchestrate its failure. It probably wouldn't be too hard. She could hack the facility's main server and move a few numbers around, maybe throw in a typo or two just to be on the safe side. No one would ever suspect their own of sabotage.

Let's see how the investigators can carry out a continent wide investigation when all of their funding have been reallocated to the 'Hospitality For The Homeless'' charity organization. The soup kitchens and shelters around Atlas could use some sprucing up anyhow, and she was sure that the people would be thankful for the generosity the government have bestowed upon them out of the kindness of their heart.

For now though, she'll spend her time indoors doing something productive, such as continuing her quest to understand the concept of love. With her home being a lab in a top secret government facility, there was no shortage of resources to discreetly exploit for her benefits. Today, she was going to attempt an experiment. With all the data she gathered recently, there were still a few variables that needed looking into.

For that, she headed on over to the facility's mess hall. The mess hall was mostly vacant during midday, with few people coming in and out of it. That made it an ideal environment to work in without being disturbed too much. In the kitchen, which Penny had politely asked to use (who can say no to such an innocent face like that?), she mixed cornstarch and water together in a large glass bowl with a rubber spatula until it formed the viscous non-newtonian liquid known as...

* * *

"Hmm?" Dr. Oobleck looked up from his half eaten tuna sandwich, bemused. "Did someone say my name?" He glanced around, but no one responded. With a shrug, he returned to his meal, wondering if it was merely the wind that whispered his name.

* * *

When the oobleck reached the same consistency as pancake batter, she let it sit on the counter and reached for a nearby funnel. Using balloons that some soldiers on site let her have, apparently they were leftovers from Private Bryan's birthday party a few weeks back, she methodically filled them up with the oobleck, making sure not to get any on herself until she had several pairs of multicolored blobs prepared for the next phase of her experiment.

"There we go," said Penny as she dumped the dirtied bowl and other kitchen utensils into the sink. Turning back to her work, she inspected each of the blobs by hand to see if she had achieved her desired product. The oobleck, encased in its elastic skin, felt soft and squishy but also firm when pressure was applied, very much like how  _breasts_  would feel like on a human female. A wide smile formed on her lips as she beheld her simplistic creation in the palm of her hands.

"Success!" she exclaimed. "Now, to try them out..."

* * *

When Penny woke up the night before, she spent her waking hours trying unravel the mysteries of love. Despite being linked to a massive database filled to the brim with information, there was only so much she can learn without the proper context. For example, how does physical appearance come into play when attracting males? According to the data, looks were an important part of love apart from the primitive ritual known as 'flirting', or so she is led to believe.

That was where the controlled experiment came into play.

Like the majestic peacock with its vibrant plumage, or the proud lion and its kingly mane, human females have their breasts with which they use to attract potential mates by flaunting them and asserting dominance over the lesser females. Kind of like how Yang does now that she thinks about it. Why else would she wear clothes that expose her cleavage? Sadly, being the android that she was, she had no breasts to call her own.

To circumvent this issue, she had created substitutes that were almost indistinguishable from the real thing. With them carefully hidden underneath her clothes, she intends to make several passes around the facility and gauging the staff's reactions to her new aesthetics. That should provide her with new insight on this conundrum. Though if she was being honest with herself, the other reason for this experiment was because she wanted to know what breast felt like.

The first pass had her using substitutes that were roughly the size of a tangerine. Smooshed up against her chest with a few layers of ordinary plastic wrap to hold it in place, they simulated A-Cup breasts. From basic observation, no one seemed to notice her new aesthetics, even as she greeted everyone that passed by her. Either they didn't care enough to ask or didn't believe that she could possess breasts and remained quiet about it was a factor to keep note of.

The second pass was a bit more interesting, but nothing concrete. The next set of substitutes were about the size of an orange, simulating B-cup breasts, much like that of Ruby and Weiss. People were beginning to notice her, but only those that were alert and focused. Again, the staff either didn't care enough to point them out or concluded that they were just seeing things that weren't there.

The third pass was where results started to mount up. This set of substitutes this time were as big as a pomegranate, simulating C-cup breasts, like the ones Blake has. They weren't too heavy, but she was starting to lean forward more and the arch of her back became more pronounced as she tried to adapt to the change in balance. Almost everyone could tell by now that there was something under her blouse. Something bouncy and jiggly.

The fourth pass was... problematic, to say the least.

The last set of substitutes she used were large like honeydew melons, simulating  _ **K-cup**_  breasts. The drastic change in cup size from C to K were simply because she didn't know when to stop pouring oobleck into the balloons the first time around. They were significantly larger than Yang's DD-cup breasts by leaps and bounds, and had to be encased in  _three_  extra balloons just to make sure that they don't suddenly burst from the smallest prick.

Wrapping them against her chest proved tricky in and of itself. The way the substitutes sloshed, toughened and molded itself around her hands whenever she tried to get a grip on them made it difficult for her to handle properly, even with her well tuned mechanical servos. When she finally managed to set them in place by some divine miracle, she nearly toppled over from the additional weight dragging her down. Now, pulling her clothes over them, that's a different story.

The buttons on her blouse strained under the pressure of the beast threatening to break free. They looked like they could pop off at any time and put some poor guy's eye out. When she made the pass, she had to hold the substitutes up with both arms as they would sag and shift her balance around all willy nilly. People lost their minds when they saw sweet little Penny Polendina walking down the hall with those outrageous looking knockers.

None more so than her dear Uncle Ironwood.

* * *

James was busy reviewing documents for authorizing the investigation in his personal studies when his secretary addressed him over the intercom. There was a problem with Penny. Though his secretary didn't elaborate on what the problem actually was, the urgency laced in her voice sounded disconcerting. Without a moment of hesitation, James dropped what he was doing, gathered his personal bodyguards, and took off at a cheetah's pace.

With a squad of armed guards and a trusty sidearm by his side, he assumed the worst. His guess was that this all had something to do with the third party's involvement, that the friendly gesture of retooling Penny was all just an act to strike at Atlas from within. If that were true, then it would only further justify the need for an investigation. However, what he got instead was his surrogate niece looking like she slugged puberty square to the jaw with a rocket punch.

Everything became deathly silent. For the first time in what seemed like forever, James Ironwood was left at a complete loss for words. He stood in the center of the hallway surrounded by various staff members, frozen like a deer caught in headlights with his guards looking equally perturbed as he was. His eyes were wide, his mouth hung agape, and his heart threatened to give out from the sheer absurdity of it all. With a polite smile, Penny greeted her uncle nonchalantly.

"Hello, Uncle Ironwood," said Penny, her arms crossed beneath her voluptuous chest. "What brings you here on this fine day?"

"...Penny," James started as he snapped out of his stupor. "Would you please tell what it is you are doing?"

"Oh, I'm just strolling around the facility since I can't go outside," she replied, shifting her arms into a more comfortable position. As she did so, her ' _breasts_ ' jiggled from the motion. Good golly, those things look like they could jump out at any given second.

"Uh huh..." James coughed into his hand, struggling to maintain eye contact with Penny. "So, um... is there something that you would like to talk about?"

"No, not really."

"Are you sure?" he pressed cautiously. "You know, if there is something  _boob_ \- bothering! Bothering, that's what I said. Ahem," he cleared his throat. "If there is something bothering you, you can always come to me for help."

"Of course I know that silly," she smiled brightly, lightening the mood a bit. "But it's okay. I don't really need anything right now."

"Er, okay," James let out a breath that he didn't even know he was holding. How on Remnant was he suppose to approach this? Should he point out Penny's newly acquired  _assets_. No, that would be tactless. Maybe he should just let it slide. After all, Penny was a naturally curious individual. He can look past her shenanigans this time and carry on with the rest of his da-

*Plick*

The thread securing one of Penny's button finally gave way to the pressure building up underneath, sending the thing flying across the room like an ivory bullet. It collided with one of the guards, causing a loud thwack sound to resound in the air and leaving a red button shaped mark on his face.

"Dah! That hurt!" the guard cried.

"Oh, my goodness! I'm so sorr-" Penny began to apologize frantically, unaware that she had moved her arms away from her chest in the process. Without any support holding them up, her substitutes lurched forward, forcing even more buttons beyond the breaking point. One by one, her buttons popped off of her blouse, hitting every guard around her uncle with impeccable accuracy. Cries of pain erupted from each of them as they rubbed at their sore cheeks, chin, and forehead.

When the plastic onslaught finally stopped, the top half of her blouse opened up, revealing to everyone her big, supple party balloons. Inscribed on each balloon in bold black letters was the phrase:

***HAPPY BIRTHDAY!***

"O-oh... Heh heh. How did those get there?" Penny grinned sheepishly, trying her best to feign ignorance. Needless to say, she wasn't fooling anybody.

James blacked out then and there.

* * *

When James finally came to, the first thing that he did was leave the infirmary to ensure everyone he was still the same hard-ass boss they know and, er... yeah. The last thing he needed was to have his professional image tarnished all because he fainted like a pansy. Once he was done reestablishing his authority, he went on to deal with Penny the only way he knew how, by having others under his command do it.

Back in his studies, James leaned back into his chair, giving himself a moments reprieve as he poured himself a glass of scotch. He took a swig of the drink, letting its bold flavor tantalize his taste buds before ultimately sending it down the hatch, leaving behind a nice burning sensation in its wake. He smacked his lips, praising some higher power for inventing such a wonderful thought numbing liquor.

Undoing his tie, he turned to his computer where a video feed was displayed onscreen. It was live footage from a security camera mounted in the laboratory. From the looks of things, the workshop was in full swing as engineers, scientist and machinery alike were operating at peak capacity, while Penny was undergoing another routine maintenance. Only this time, the scientist were examining her AI core.

James let out a long winded sigh. By Monty, today had been nothing but one big roller-coaster ride. As if he didn't have enough stress looking over a mountain of forms, Penny's curiosity has led to yet another one of her shenanigans. To think that Penny, an artificial human, would actually care about her imposed gender and all the headaches it comes with. She should be grateful that her personality is all scripted, and not dictated by glands or hormones.

He didn't know where her sudden interest in the female anatomy came from, but he prays it won't become a regular thing. If he can't handle looking at Penny walking around with squishy balloons wrapped to her chest, what would happen if she inquires him about tampons, hair growing in weird places, the menstruation cycle, or, Monty forbid,  _ **boys**_? There won't be enough scotch in the world to drown his sorrows in.

"No one ever said that being a parental figure to an android would be easy," James finished up his glass before reaching for the bottle and pouring himself another drink. He will need another to finish finalizing the investigation documents. "To health and prosperity..."

* * *

The workbench felt much warmer today compared to how chilly it usually it is. It must be due to the mass of scientists that clamored around her, their collective exhalation heating the room up to an astonishing degree. They were poking around her head again, much to her dismay. Only this time they were specifically tampering with her AI core, the special little piece of sophisticated technology that makes her Penny Polendina and not some other off the market brand.

Apparently, they deemed her newfound interest in human aspects a groundbreaking development in the field of artificial intelligence. Said that it opened new doors for an AI's learning capability. Whatever the case, her experiment has been postponed. Analyzing and interpreting what findings she did have led to a dead end. Choosing to shelve the findings for the time being, she decided that the next mystery of love to pursue was why creatures are instinctively drawn to mating rituals or displays of dominance.

"Okay, all done," said a tall looking woman, closing the little opening behind Penny's neck. "Thank you for being so patient sweetie. This information will send waves across the scientific community."

"It was no trouble ma'am," replied Penny. "By the way, are you going to confiscate these?" she pointed to her chest, which still had the K-cup substitutes wrapped on her chest.

"Heavens no. They're yours, after all," the scientist chuckled before leaning in close to Penny. "Oh, and between you and me," she pointed to her own impressive bosom, "the boys usually like em' big." She winked. Turning around, the scientist left, leaving Penny to process her words of wisdom.

She reach up for one of the substitute and squeezed it a few times, feeling the oobleck within change in form from liquid to solid then back to liquid again play between her fingertips..

"Hee hee. Oobleck. What a fun little experiment," a small giggle escaped her lips. She stopped in the middle of her fondling for a moment, feeling like she had forgotten something. Something important. "Oh yeah!" she exclaimed. With a thought, she linked herself up to the secured Atlas network through a backchannel and began to mess around with some numbers around the financial department. "Time to make a donation..."


	29. Girl Scout Troop 48-Z

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plan is simple; meet the parents, gather information.

Pyrrha woke to the sound of light snoring and quiet murmurs. The world around her was a dim technicolor blur as she picked away at the pale crust forming around her eyes. Mumbling something beneath her breath about not being a morning person, she was pleasantly surprised to find out how invigorated she felt.

Ever since the whole Juan debacle, attaining a restful night of sleep has been difficult for her given how guilt has the tendency to wake you in the middle of the night drenched in sweat, questioning your life choices. She was sure Ruby was going through the same thing she was. But last night was different. Last night, she slept like someone had bashed her over the head with a frying pan. Bam! Out like a light she was. And the kicker? No throbbing headache to wake up to.

It was something to be grateful for, though it still bugged her. Why was she able to sleep so soundly now? Her answer came in the form of a hug pillow she didn't even knew she had. And then she learned that it wasn't a hug pillow. Pyrrha was cuddling something warm, something that felt  _suspiciously_  like another person. Turning her head, a mop of blonde hair brushed her face and she took in a familiar scent. A heavy blush dusted her cheeks as she came to realize her predicament.

"This isn't my bed," Pyrrha whispered. She pulled the blanket down, revealing the peaceful visage of her team leader, Jaune. He was still fast asleep, the effects of Ruby's hypnosis bounding him to the realm of dreams until a new personality comes forth. The blush on her face deepened, turning her redder than a sunburned tomato. She had been cuddling with her unconscious leader all night long.

Repressing the urge to jump right out of Jaune's bed and scurry back to her own, Pyrrha took a moment to remember how this all came to be. The last thing she remembered was seeing Ruby off to bed before turning in early herself. It must've been eight o'clock when she slipped between the sheets, Ren and Nora weren't even home yet. That should've been it. And then she remembered groggily waking up some time past twelve needing to go to the bathroom.

When she was finished with her business, she hobbled back to her bed but not before catching a glimpse of Jaune. He looked so peaceful in his slumber, so blissfully unaware of the changes brought on to him by use of a cheap plastic ring from a controversial children's novel. She wanted to know what it felt like to experience such peace. With her mind in a drowsy haze, she unknowingly hobbled on over to his bed where she tucked herself in beside him.

Content, Pyrrha closed her eyes and went back to sleep, feeling at one with the world around her and free from all sense of worry. Which is where she finds herself now.

She still can't believe she did such a thing. Granted she wasn't in her right mind at the time when she made the decision to sleep with Jaune, but it was still so audacious! Does this technically count as molestation? There was no time to think about it, she needed to get out before things got awkward. Slowly, she rose out of bed, making sure to refrain herself from making any sudden moves that would shake the bed.

"Easy now, Pyrrha. Easy. There's no need to rush," she muttered. Halfway through her escape however, she felt movement that caused her to freeze on the spot. Peering out the corner of her eyes she watched with anxiety as Jaune shifted around in bed. But upon closer inspection, Jaune wasn't the one who was moving about. Rather, it was the weird lump beside him that she had failed to notice.

"What the?" Pyrrha cautiously prodded at the lump and was met with a cry of delight.

To her surprise, it was Yang who rose up from the bed. With a yawn, she tossed the blanket aside and began to stretch, unaware that Pyrrha was staring at her like she had grown a second head. She was dressed in a skimpy looking pink nightgown instead of her usual pajamas and had a serious case of bedhead. Seems like no matter the individual, bedhead got the best of everybody.

"Heh heh. Someone's a bit handsy this mornin-" Yang started, but her words got trapped in her throat when she finally registered Pyrrha's presence. "Oh... Hey."

"...Hey," replied Pyrrha.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...I won't tell if you won't," said Yang.

"Deal."

* * *

Grandia was a quaint little backwater town located far to the south of the countryside. It had a population of roughly twenty thousand people and was notable for its breathtaking landscapes, tight knit community, and some of the best dang pies you'll ever eat this side of the planet. However, what really sets Grandia apart from every other town and city in Vale, or Remnant for that matter, was that it was home to over  _ten_  generations of the Arc family.

Yes, Grandia was Jaune Arc's ancestral home. Home to his father, and his father before him, and his father before him, and so forth. It was also where the girls were heading to next on another one of their bizarre adventures. There was much to do and much to learn about their friend. It was time to solve the unexpected enigma that was Jaune Arc.

It was time to meet the Arcs.

Being the first one to step off of the Bullhead, Ruby quickly shook away the numbing fuzziness in her legs and took a deep breath, inhaling the clean unpolluted air that the rural countryside had to offer. The faint scent of lavender and honeysuckle tickled her nostrils, filling her with a sense of calm that only mother nature could provide. It was definitely a far cry from the over-saturated atmosphere of Vale.

From atop the grassy hill where the Bullhead station was located, Ruby was treated to an amazing view of a town that appeared to be trapped in time. Everything about it was so old fashion, or vintage, if you prefer the term. From the Victorian styled buildings both humble and grandiose in appearance, to the horse drawn carriages rolling down alongside the cobblestone pathways, one would assume that they'd stepped into the previous era.

"Well, here we are. Beautiful Grandia," said Ruby. "Feels like a whole 'nother world out here."

"You took the words right out of my mouth," said Pyrrha as she stood beside her friend. "I can't believe we're actually going through with your half-assed plan to meet Jaune's family."

"It's our only option though. How else are we gonna learn about him in such a short amount of time?" Ruby asked before her expression turned sour. "And it is not half-assed! For your information I spent a whole half hour coming up with it before crashing last night."

"Wow. Thirty whole minutes. That's reassuring," Pyrrha deadpanned.

"It'll all work out. Have a little bit of faith, why dontcha?" Ruby nudged at Pyrrha with her elbow, her sour look replaced with a confident toothy grin. She merely sighed in return.

"It's not the plan I'm worried about," Pyrrha reached into her jacket's pocket and pulled out a plastic baggie full of store bought cookies. The chewy kind with chocolate chips and a brownie baked right into the center of it. She dangled it in front of Ruby, shaking the contents of the bag like a set of keys before a infant. "Am I gonna have to use these?"

"That depends," Ruby tried to reach for the bag in as inconspicuous of a manner as possible. "Are they only for use as a countermeasure?" her hand quickly lunged for the bag like a snake striking at its prey, only for Pyrrha to deftly swat it away. "Yeowch!"

"Close, but no cigar, or rather, heh heh, no cookies," Pyrrha smirked as she stuffed the bag back into her pocket. "I'll hold onto these just in case." Ruby didn't reply with a snappy retort, she merely stuck her tongue out at her, to which Pyrrha returned the gesture with a roll of her eyes.

"So, this is the  _famous_  birthplace of legends, huh?" a voice spoke from behind the two, eliciting a groan to escape their lips. Frowning they turned around and saw Yang approaching them... along with the rest of the girls who had insisted on joining them on what was suppose to be a simple two person job. Yang, Blake, Nora, and yes, even Weiss, in spite of her recent injuries, joined up with the duo and took in the sights laid out before them. "Hmm, looks kind of plain if you ask me."

"I disagree with that sentiment, Yang," said Blake. "Grandia has a rustic charm to it. If we weren't here for a task, I would've love to check out the town, maybe even peruse the local archives."

"It's... alright, I guess," Weiss muttered sullenly. She had a fluffy gauze taped to her right cheek and the splint on her left arm. Any other injury she sustained was covered up by her clothing.

"Do you think we can stop for pie later?" Nora asked giddily.

"Ahem!" Pyrrha loudly cleared her throat, turning everyone's attention towards her and Ruby. The two stared back at the group with an accusatory gaze and crossed arms. They didn't display any outward signs of anger, or even mild irritation. They just wanted some answers, and they were gonna get it. "Well?" Pyrrha raised an eyebrow.

"Well, what?" said Yang.

"You know you guys didn't have to come along," Ruby stated. "Pyrrha and I aren't here to sightsee or sample the local cuisine, as much as I really want to try those pies... I'm getting off topic here. We're just going to meet up with the Arcs, ask them a few interpersonal questions about their son, and be on our way."

"I know that," Yang casually shrugged, her pillowy lips curling up into a confident smile. "But as his friends," she gestured to everybody, "wouldn't it be better if we all came along? After all, the more people that are involved, the quicker we can cure ol' Jauney of his head case."

"Wow. I'll give credit where credit is due, Yang, that's really noble of you," said Pyrrha, sounding genuinely impressed. Though, she switches back to a more skeptical tone because while Yang is a good person at heart, she also mischievous by nature. Ergo, it's not hard to see that she's hiding some kind of ulterior motive beneath her benevolent actions. "Are you sure it doesn't involve anything else?"

"Come on, what's with the attitude, cereal box?" Yang defended herself. "Good friends look out for each other, right? Talking with their parents is just one of the many things you come across in this big cynical web series we call life."

"Mmhmm," Ruby nodded with a deadpan expression. "Juan's not coming back sis."

"What?" Yang faux-gasped, throwing her hands in the air in an exaggerated fashion. "You've got it all wrong, Rubes. I'm over Juan now, really. Yup. Moved on and everything. It was just a fling for me. A wonderful fling that meant absolutely... nothing. Heh heh..." she paused, looking momentarily solemn before flashing everyone a wry grin. "Buuuuuuut, on the off chance my sister's hypno-thingy goes  _right_ , it doesn't hurt to get to know my future in-laws in advance."

"Glad to know you're a glass half full kind of person, Yang," Pyrrha sighed, turning her gaze to Blake. "What about you, Blake? Why did you want to come along?"

"Aside from keeping an eye on Yang and Weiss? I really do want to check out the town if we have time," said Blake. "And as Nora had brought up, a taste of that award winning pie does sound incredibly tempting," a ghost of a smile graces her lips

"Aw yeah! Blake knows what I'm talking about!" exclaimed Nora as she and Blake shared a curt fist bump. Well, Blake didn't really participate. Nora just fist bumped the back of her hands and assumed that Blake fist bumped her back in response.

"Eh, I guess we can make time for that," said Ruby. "And Weiss? This better be good, because you've made it clear before you want nothing to do with Jaune."

"My being here is strictly business," replied Weiss, absently checking her nails.

"Business?" Ruby raised a brow. "What  _business_  could you possibly have with the Arcs?"

"Influence, Ruby. Influence," explained Weiss, a devious glint gleamed in the corners of her eyes. "As a Schnee and heir to one of the most powerful corporation in all of Remnant, it pays to have people of power in your pocket. The Arcs, in spite of their less than adequate offspring, are exactly those kind of people. I simply intend to make a power play that would benefit my family in the long run."

"Ever the opportunist, aren't you, Weiss?"

"Sounds to me like you just wanted an excuse to be as far away from Jaune as possible before his new personality kicks in," Yang teased the girl. "What's the matter, afraid you'll actually like this new version of him?"

"N-nonsense! Until the heat death of the universe, I will never,  _ever_ , find myself drawn to that slack jawed dimwit, or any of his insane alter egos!" Weiss snapped, red faced and glaring daggers towards Yang. "Like I said, my visit to this backwater middle-of-nowhere town is strictly business! Bizzz-nissss!" she seethed, sparks jumping out from between the gaps in her teeth as she grinded them in indignant fury.

"Okay, whatever you say, Weiss" replied Yang in a sing song voice and a playful wag of her finger. She leaned forward, towering over the shorter girl as her grin steadily widened into full blown smirk. But Weiss held her ground in spite of Yang's typical antics. Unfaltering, her glare intensified tenfold, threatening to atomize Yang with such a searing gaze. But there was something else hidden beneath her veil of irritation... Anxiety, perhaps?

"Alright, that's enough fooling around you two," said Pyrrha, stepping in before a brawl could break out between the two. "Since everyone wanted to come along, Ruby had to pull lots of strings and forge doctor's notes so that we can be here. Let's not waste that opportunity squabbling amongst ourselves. Come on. We've got parents to meet and a lovable goofball to cure." Turning on her heel, she set off into town on the dirt path as the rest of the girls followed suit.

"Hey, aren't you gonna question Nora about her motives too?" Yang asked as they walked.

"Pie," Pyrrha replied without missing a beat.

"Pie?" Yang looked bemused.

"Pie," Nora joined in with a nod.

"Oh, right. Pie. Should've seen that one from a mile away."

With that said, the group kept mostly to themselves as they wandered into town. Whatever small talk they had were almost exclusively between Nora and Blake, odd as it seemed. Both of whom were much more animated than the rest. They spoke about what they hope to experience in Grandia; the food, the local landmarks, the food, the rich history behind its founding and deep connection to the Arcs, and the food. Did they mention food yet?

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

Back at Beacon Academy, three bandaged boys found themselves huddled together on the floor of team JNPR's dorm room. Struggling to play a simple game of go fish with healing limbs and fumbling around with their cards like bunch of brain damaged chimps in the process.

Ren, Sun, and Neptune had the unfortunate pleasure of being roped into one of Ruby's half-assed plans against their will. Well, it wasn't like they had much of a choice, given their current condition. But to think that she had thought this far ahead, using their fight against Jago and subsequent pummeling to set all of this up. it's almost terrifying in a way, the level of foresight she possesses.

Since the boys were incapacitated, they had been approved for some time off by the school to recover from their wounds. During that time, they were to watch over Jaune and ensure that his new ego doesn't do anything that could compromise his or anyone else's health, both mental and physical. The three accepted the task, albeit begrudgingly so, but only because they were promised some sort of compensation in return for their efforts.

But even with the promise of payment, they were not at all amused in the slightest that they were stuck on babysitting duty with the potential hazard of being maimed again. Or worse, Jaune could end up...  _playing for the other team_.

...They decided it was best not to think about that.

As time marched forward, and the playing cards were left scattered upon the floor in an erratic array of black, red, and whites, the boys eventually succumbed to the crippling effects of boredom. There was nothing for them to do, there was nothing they could do that doesn't involve fully functioning limbs or a regretful promise, and they sure as hell weren't going through with another crappy game of ' _give me the card I'm looking for, damn it!_ '

"Uuuugh..." Sun groaned, leaning up against the side of Jaune's bed frame. Both of the poor boy's arms were in casts fixed in awkward positions (there were several 'get well' messages and smiley faces scrawled onto it), and his admirable abdominal were sadly covered up by a thick layer of medicated gauze. He received the most punishment out of the duel with Jago by far, and it showed in his sorry state. "What time is it?" he mumbled groggily.

"It's twelve past ten," Ren moaned into his pillow. He laid face down in his bed, inanimate. Bandages wrapped around his head like a white bandanna, partially obscuring his left eye. His right arm was held in a blue sling that was uncomfortably pressed against his sore belly. It served as a bitter reminder of having his dislocated shoulder popped back into place with Nora's help. Among those who had fought, his injuries were the lightest of the bunch.

"It's only been two hours since the girls left," said Neptune, resting upon one of the nearby desk chairs. There were splints worn on three of his limbs, with the sole exception being his right leg. He was suffering from multiple sprains and a hairline fracture. He couldn't move all that well without feeling muddled sparks of electricity shoot through his bones. Crashing into Sun and then having Weiss collide into him really did a number on his body.

"I can't believe we agreed to this," Sun mumbled.

"I can't believe Weiss went with them..." Neptune sighed, turning his head to face Ren. "Ren, buddy," he called out.

"Whu...?" Ren's voice was muffled and slurred. "Whayuwan?"

"Go check up on Jaune. It's your turn."

"...Sun," Ren inched his head to the side. "You do it."

"What?" Sun gave Ren an incredulous look. "No way, I did it last time. Why do you think I'm over here?"

"Well, you're closer, and it's your own damn fault for staying there," Ren retorted. "It'll only take five seconds. Just do it already so we can all go back to wallowing in pain."

"Tsk, fine. But you're definitely doing it next time." Muttering a curse beneath his breath, Sun shakily rose to his feet, hugging the bed frame to steady himself. He then proceeded to forcefully prod Jaune on the cheek with a wide stroke of his fixed arms.

"Hey. Hey, sleeping beauty. Wake up. Come on, the sun's up and the birds are singing. Don't make me kick you, bro." Jaune didn't stir, even as his face was constantly being prodded by Sun's calloused fingers. "Look, I don't care who you are right now or who you're gonna be. Just wake up so we can do something together. The boredom is killing us here. If the girls get to have a fun time, then so will we."

"Forget it, Sun," said Neptune. "Dude's out like a light. You'd have a better chance trying to wake the dead than him."

"...Guess it's back to cards then," Sun spoke after a long pause. With a heavy sigh, he hobbles over to the center of the room and takes knee, wiggling his fingers at the the cards strewn about on the floor. "fifty-two pick up sounds better than go fish anyhow."

"Here, let me help you." Neptune pulled himself off the chair, a sharp hiss escaped his lips as did so. "Ow, ow, ow ow," he muttered with each step. "You know, it'd be nice if you could help out too, Ren."

"Fine, fine." Ren methodically rose from his bed, hearing the satisfying sounds of his bones popping as he craned his neck. "Let's do poker this time. Now that's a game..."

* * *

The trip to the Arc household was an unnecessarily lengthy one.

What should've been a quick trek through town somehow turned into a full blown tour, complete with food samplings, museum visits, and numerous photo ops at the various points of interest dotted throughout Grandia. Ruby had blamed their loss of time on the friendly locals, showering them with an unfathomable level of hospitality that just couldn't be refused. By the time the girls had reached their destination, hours had passed, bellies were full, and feets were aching.

Upon arrival however, whatever fatigue that plagued the group earlier were set aside as they stared in wonder at the shoddy looking shack that stood before them. They looked to their left, then to their right. They went back and forth several times, seeing nothing but exquisite mansions and what could be poignantly described as miniature castles sandwich the little shack in between. Someone lives here apparently, surrounded by all the wealth.

And that someone were the Arcs, supposedly.

It was a small cozy shelter, no bigger than a hundred square feet, possibly even less. There were vines crawling up alongside the faded yellow walls, and an old bug zapper hanging lazily on the overhang by the porch. Clothes of the rustic variety were hung out to dry from a taut line that connected the house to an old willow tree a few meters out to the left. Tying the whole scene together was an archaic clay oven out on the front lawn that had a cast iron stock pot resting on the tall grass beside it, and charred wood stocked in its hearth.

"... _Sooooouuuuuuh_ ," Yang drawled, breaking the awkward silence. "Did we get the wrong address?"

"No, this should be the place. Fourteen-Twelve Orleans Boulevard," said Ruby, checking through the map application on her scroll. "This information came directly from the same receptionist who helped me find Dr. Ooblecks place, so it's trustworthy."

"You're telling me the Arcs live in a forsaken  _hobo hut_?" Weiss frowned, vein pulsing on the side of her temple. "No, this isn't right. This  _can't_  be right. There is no way on Monty's green earth that one of the most revered family in all of Remnant would be stuck living like... like...  _this_!" she shot her hands forward in an exaggerated gesture. "I mean, wha- bu-  _how_!?" she babbled on, left at a complete loss for words.

"Calm down, Weiss," Blake pulled the distressed girl back. "Maybe Ruby got a duplicate address. I mean, Orleans does sounds like a pretty common street name."

"Normally, you'd be right, Blake. If it weren't for the fact that the only other Fourteen-Twelve Orleans Boulevard in existence is halfway across the world. So unless you want us to break out our passports and catch the next international flight to a another kingdom, I think we're where we should be."

"I'm still a bit skeptical," said Pyrrha, scratching at her head. "Maybe we should check with the homeowners first before engagin-."

"BATHROOM!" Nora shouted as she barreled past the group, hands gripped upon her belly with an iron grasp. She stumbles forward clumsily, nearly tripping over herself several times as she made way to the gritty screen door of the shack. With urgency in her movements and urine in her bladder, she knocks at the door like a woodpecker. As she waits for a response, she shifts about in place, praying to Monty that she doesn't start leaking prematurely.

"Ugh, this is what she gets for drinking all of that raspberry lemonade," Pyrrha brings a hand to her forehead. "I told you to go while we were still at the restaurant!"

"I know, I know!" Nora cried. "But we were going to visit the big museum of yarn next and I didn't want to miss anything!"

The turning of the doorknob catches Nora's attention, and she turns back to face the door. Staring at her was a scraggly looking man with blonde hair tied up in a ponytail whose height placed him just barely above the tip of Nora's nose. He had on a pair of navy blue shorts, a tacky Hawaiian shirt that looked like a toucan had just vomited froot loops all over it, and a pair of tinted sunglasses. He sizes Nora up before asking,

"Something I can help you with, kid?"

"BATHROOM!?" she blurts out, fidgeting even more to make her point clear. With a resigned sigh, the man points to the back of his home.

"It's the door to the left," with that said, Nora zoomed past the man like a pink and white blur, causing his shirt to flutter in the breeze and glasses to go askew. The sound of another woman yelping emanates from behind him, followed by a curt sorry and the slamming of a door. The man fixes his glasses before turning to face the rest of the entourage, and his stances turns aggressive.

"YOU!" he screams, reaching behind the doorframe. He pulls out an ornate double barreled shotgun, aiming it directly at our favorite heroines. The girls all reel back in terror, minds scrambling to deduce what they did wrong. "I thought I told you to never come around here again!"

"L-look," started Yang. "Buddy, we're not who you think we ar-"

"QUIET!" his voice is like thunder. It seeps past the flesh and the bones of the girls, sundering their very souls from within. Nobody expected such an unassuming person to have this powerful voice. They are frozen in terror, unable to move as he inches on closer, eyes trained on them from behind dark lenses.

"Don't think I don't know what you're trying to do. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice..." he cocks the shotgun,  _somehow_. The very sound sends chills running down each of the girl's spine. "...Shame on me,  _Girl Scout Troop 48-Z_."

"...Huh?" the girls spoke simultaneous.

"Wait, wait," Pyrrha snapped out of her stupor, raising her hand up defensively. "Is that what this is about?" The man lowers his gun slightly, but doesn't lower his guard completely. "We are not girl scouts." To her surprise, the man's demeanor changes at the drop of a hat and he lowers his gun completely.

"Well, why didn't you say so!" he grins, chucking the gun off the side where it caused everyone to flinch as it went off suddenly with a loud bang. "Eh, don't worry about it. Those shells were filled with rock salt. Weren't gonna kill anything short of a fly." He stuffs his hands into his pocket, grin still plastered on his face. "Now what can I do for you fine ladies?"

"Er, is this Fourteen-Twelve Orleans Boulevard?" Ruby asked.

"Yep, the one the only. Cept for those copycats over in Mistral." He gestures around himself. "See all these buildings here, my shack included? They're all part of one major household. The  _Arc_  household. Please, hold your applause."

"Oh, goodness," Weiss breathed a sigh of relief. "And here I was thinking we made some kind of mistake. You," she points to the man. "It's quite obvious that you're the help, a gardener or groundskeeper I presume. Take us to the Arcs." The man's grin fades away and is replaced with a frown, he is clearly displeased with Weiss's tone. "Well, what are you waiting for? Chop, chop."

"Weiss, you're being rude and you know it," said Blake with a disapproving shake of her head.

"Yeah, Ice Queen. At least ask for his name before you start acting snobby," said Yang, slapping Weiss in the back.

"Tsk, fine," Weiss relented. Though, it's not like she's actively acting antagonistic. She has her motives, and so does everyone else. The quicker they schmooze with the Arcs, the quicker they can end this whole hypnotism shenanigans and get on with their lives. "What's your name, and can you help us meet with the Arcs,  _please_." She finishes with an exasperated sigh.

"Well, sure! I'm glad you asked so nicely," the man's grin returns full force. He reaches up to his sunglasses to remove them, revealing a familiar looking set of ocean blue eyes. What he says next causes more than a few jaws to drop.

"My name is  **Jonas Arc**. I am the proprietor of this manor.  _Please_ , hold your applause."

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"Hey, guys!" Nora burst out from the front door, a trail of toilet paper stuck to the bottom of her shoe. "You would not believe who I just met!"


	30. Of Parents and Plates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team RWBYPN are given a tour of the Arc ancestral home, with Jonas Arc as their guide.

Nora stepped out of the lavatory feeling positively refreshed after finally taking care of some overdue business in spite of the frightening shotgun blast in the background. Now that her bladder was empty and hands squeaky clean, she could take a step back to really appreciate all the hard work that went into the construction of the shack. Though, calling it a shack seemed insulting to the true nature of its craftsmanship. If anything, Nora would call it a micro home.

It had all the basic amenities you would see in a regular home, neatly crammed together into single well organized space. It had two floors and was well furnished, including features such as a roomy living area, a fully stocked kitchenette, a master bedroom up on the second floor, and as she just had the fortune to experience, an impressively economical bathroom. It was certainly something that had to be seen to be believed.

"Wow..." Nora breathed.

"Is nice, yes?" a feminine voice called out to Nora. It was low and gentle, laced with a Russian accent so thick it clings to the back of the teeth. Nora turned to the voice and beheld an older woman leaning casually against the wall, the same woman whom she nearly barreled through on her way to sweet relief. "It is not a very big house, or even a fancy one, but it is a good home."

There was only one word that Nora could think of to that would appropriately describe the woman's physical appearance, and that word was  _amazoness_.

She was a mature beauty, sort of like Ms. Goodwitch if she'd actually smile every once and awhile, with a greater emphasis on her child bearing hips and natural sag of her ample bosom. She had wavy jet black tresses reaching just past the shoulders in an unkempt mass, tied up in a high ponytail that caused it to fray outwards like a well loved feather duster, and soft hazel eyes gleaming with years of experience and whimsy.

But perhaps the most daunting aspect of the woman's appearance was her jaw dropping height. Calling her tall didn't do it justice. She was absolutely  _towering_. So much so in fact that Nora had to crane her whole body backwards just to meet her eye to eye. She wore a white frilly blouse that appeared two sizes too small for a woman of her size, resulting in it looking more like a t-shirt than a blouse, and a tailor made skirt that was as big as Nora was.

"...You're huge," Nora quickly slapped her hands over mouth. "Oh! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it like was anything bad!" She braced herself for a intense scolding, only to hear bellowing laughter instead.

"Is okay little one," the woman eyed Nora curiously. " _Very_  little one. Scrawny, really. Southerners are not used to giant woman like me. Now tell me, what is your name adorable hamster girl?"

"I'm Nora Valkyrie. Me and my friends are here on a mission," Nora announced proudly with a salute. "Speaking of which, is this the Arc's place?"

"Da, this is the the Arc's place," the woman replied as she stepped forward and rose to her full height. "And my name is Joanna Arc. Is nice to meet you, Nora Valkyrie. Adorable little hamster girl."

"Oh, my gosh!" Nora exclaimed, pointing at finger towards the Joanna. "Are you one of Jaune's sisters?" Another bout of jovial laughter erupted from out of Joanna's lungs as she pulled Nora into fierce bear hug, plucking her off the ground like a ripe carrot from the soil. Nora's feet dangled back and forth under Joanna's embrace, the air slowly being wrung from her body as she gasped for breath.

"Ah! Such a flatterer you are! But, no. I am his mother. Say, how do you know my son?" she let Nora down.

"He never told you about me?" Nora croaked, pausing to catch a breather. "I'm his teammate."

"I'm afraid my son doesn't call home as much ever since he joined that school, Beacon Academy," Joanna sighed wistfully. "Is shame. I would love to know how he's been, but my baby boy is all grown up now. I'm sure he's busy with all the training, the studying, the hunting of the grimm and the wooing of the ladies. Oh! How I fear for his safety every single day!"

"Well, you don't have to worry about a thing. Team JNPR is the best team on the planet, and Jaune's our capable leader!"

"Is he now?" Joanna let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding in. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Yeah, there's more I could tell you, but I think it'd be better if my friends were here too. Hold on for a sec," with that said, Nora darted out onto the porch, oblivious to the trail of toilet paper stuck to the bottom of her shoe. When she made it outside, she found her friends only they weren't moving for some reason. "Hey guys! You would not believe who I just met!"

* * *

Nora ran to her friend's side and attempted to get their attention. She waved her hand in front of their faces and snapped her fingers, but received no response.

"Earth to team. Come on. Snap out of it guys," said Nora. "What's wrong with you all?"

"It would appear that I've blew their minds with my radical hipness, little missy," said Jonas with his trademark smile. "Feeling better?"

"Definitely," she nodded. "I take it you're Jaune's dad?"

"Ah, met the missus, I see. And how do you know my son?" Jonas raised an eyebrow. The two exchanged greetings amongst themselves. Nora had been given the liberty of introducing all of her friends to Jonas while also explaining their relationship with his son. Ever the cool fellow, he took it all in stride, and just like his wife, was happy for his son's success as a hunter. Even if he wasn't told the whole truth.

"Well, plant me in the ground and call me Daisy. My boy's moving up in the world," Jonas fixed his sunglasses. "And here I thought he was going to be a farmer like his old man. Though, that doesn't explain why you're all here." His face fell flat for a moment. "...He's not dying, is he?"

"What? No, no, no! He's fine, really," said Nora. "All of his limbs and internal organs are attached together like how they should be."

"Phew, that's a relief... Oh, Monty. Am I dying!?" Jonas panicked.

"Then, my wife?"

"No!"

"His siste-"

"No! No one's dying!"

"So then why are you girls here? Wait! I think I know exactly why you're all here." Jonas's grin returned, and If it were possible, was wider than before.

* * *

"Huh, according to this magazine, Sun, it says here that you're a winter." Neptune glanced through the pages of a girly magazine he found stacked haphazardly in the corner of Nora's nightstand. With nothing else to do, he picked it up and began reading. As expected, it was full of typical things guys weren't interested in, but he decided to educate himself on mysterious inner workings of the female mind. It would come in handy in the future.

"Really? I always thought I was more of a summer," replied Sun.

"Uh oh," Ren spoke out of the blue.

"What's wrong, Ren?" Neptune lowered the magazine.

"I just came to the realization that having six girls visit a man's parents could lead to certain  _implications_..."

* * *

"Let me guess, it was the pick up lines, wasn't it?" said Jonas, snapping the rest of the girl's out of their stupor.

"Uh..." the girls were all left for a loss for words.

"Hey, honey!" he called out. A moment later, a large imposing figure appeared from within the dimness of the shack's interior. Her face obscured from behind the door frame, she cast a long shadow. Joanna at her full height could not pass through the doorway without crouching down and keeping her head low. By the time she reached her husband, most of the girls found themselves gawking once more at Jaune's mega-sized mom.

"Holy sh-" Yang stopped just short of a curse.

"Goodness..." Pyrrha whispered.

"Was there something that you wanted, dear?" Joanna asked as she sidled up beside her fun-sized husband, crouched down and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"It's not about what I want, darling," Jonas pointed to the girls. "It's about what they want, and what they want is our blessing to chase after Jaune!" His last few words came down on the girls like ton of bricks. Perhaps there was something tiny and crazy screaming incoherent madness in their ears, but it sounded like he had come to the conclusion that they were here to earn permission to court Jaune.

"Oh? Do they now?" Joanna rose back to her full height and turned a suspicious gaze towards the girls. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, why else would six girls want to visit a man's parents?" Somewhere in the world, a boy in green felt vindicated, but for what he just can't put his finger on. "Shoot, I bet they also want to know what makes our little man tick just so they can better woo him into the warm embrace of their loving arms."

"Er, uh... T-that's absolutely correct!" Yang interjected, causing all the girls to shoot her an incredulous look. "We are all here because we would like the opportunity to, um,  _woo it up_  with Jaune. And being the courteous ladies that we are, well," she flashed a quick mischievous smirk towards Weiss, "most of us, thought that it would be best to earn your approval before doing so."

"I like it! Y'all got spunk!" Jonas proclaimed. "Please, stay for dinner. We've got plenty to talk about." With a flourish, he gestured everyone to follow him into the heart of the Arc manor, his wife by his side. However, just as they were about to depart, the faint rustling of the willow tree nearby caught Jonas's attention, prompting him to spring into action. Rolling towards the shotgun he discarded earlier, he took aim and blasted at the leaves.

To everyone's shock, someone jumped out from the tree in a swift blur and landed gracefully on the ground. It was a girl dressed in a bizarre amalgamation of a kunoichi's garb and a girl scout uniform. She had what looked to be a portable listening device in hand with the headphones hanging around her neck. Without breaking rhythm, Jonas expertly unloaded and reloaded his double barrel in one smooth action before setting his sights on the trespasser.

But before Jonas could even say anything, the girl flicked her wrist and produced a small black pellet out of thin air. Throwing it on the ground, the pellet released an unnaturally thick fog of white smoke that obscured everyone's vision and choked their lungs. When the fog finally passed, the trespasser was nowhere to be seen.

"Dang it! She got away," Jonas huffed.

"Who was that?" Ruby asked raspily.

"A forward reconnaissance member of Girl Scout Troop 48-Z," he replied. "They startle easily, but she'll be back, and in greater numbers... Welp! Can't do anything about it now." He slung the shotgun over his shoulder like nothing had happened, motioning for the others to follow. "Come on, let me introduce you girls to the family!"

* * *

If the romanticized image of the Arcs being proud and valiant heroes weren't already irreparably damaged for the girls earlier with the memorable introduction of Jaune's outlandish parents, then it was completely obliterated by the time they were introduced to the rest of the Arc clan, and their extended family.

The inner courtyard of the manor was as extravagant as the homes that surrounded it. A veritable work of art in its own right, whoever did the landscaping for this estate deserved a substantial pay raise and a high five.

Rows of willow and birch trees were planted in sequential order, creating a beautiful contrast of dark and light, wide and thin, short and tall in between grayish stone roadways. Nestled along the edge of the roadways were bright yellow daffodils that gently swayed back and forth in the breeze to a silent rhythm. Gothic styled iron fences and archways curled all around the group like a metal web, its twisted metal separating them from the vast number of gardens that made up the remainder of the courtyard grounds.

But it wasn't the alluring scenery that left the girls left the girls with them mouths agape. No, it was the tenants that lived alongside the happily married couple. According to Jonas, a majority of them were family members. Brothers, sisters, cousins, niece and nephews, each and every one of them, be it by blood or through marriage, beared the Arc name. And at a glance, they were not at all hoity toity rich folk, however, they weren't exactly the noble sophisticated knights of lore either.

They were more like, as Weiss had put it so aptly beneath her breath, jesters in a king's court. It was a circus out there, the  _Arc Flying Family Circus_  to be precise. People of all shapes, sizes, color and creed, even  _race_ , flooded the courtyard doing all manner of strange activities that included, but were not limited to, flaming sword juggling,  _ **extreme**_  outdoor yoga sessions, and an intense game of tag across the treetops.

It was a sight that both astounded and deeply perturbed the girls.

"...And over there is my aunt Janey. She's got this weird lazy eye where one eye is looking at ya, and the other is eying something else way over yonder. Freaky. Anywho, that concludes the introduction to the Arcs. Up next, we're gonna meet my darling little angels. In the meantime, do y'all got any questions?"

"...Whauh!?" Weiss gasped as she the others snapped out of their stupor, stumbling about in their march towards the main household. "Is it finally over?"

"Fraid so, little missy. Though if ya like, I can start all over again from the top."

"NO!" they all shouted in desperation, earning more than a few looks from nearby kinfolk.

"Er, Ahem. Pardon our unseemly outburst. What we mean is, we've already heard so much of your wonderful relatives, but you haven't spoken a word about yourself," Weiss replied coolly, her tone conveying experience and confidence. "Why don't you tell us about about the man behind the sunglasses. Tell us about  _you_."

"Well, I don't wanna toot my own horn or anything." Jonas waved it off. "But I guess it wouldn't hurt considering you thought I was, hmm, what exactly did you call me again?" he brought a hand to his chin. "Ah, that's right.  _The help_." Upon hearing this, Joanna trained a stern glare directly at Weiss. Weiss felt a lump form in her throat as the towering woman stared her down. One wrong move and she can kiss those future favors goodbye, or worse.

"Heh heh... It was an honest mistake," Weiss chuckled nervously, attempting to play it off as nothing more than an innocent accident. "I mean, it's not hard for outsiders to confuse your home for a luxury tool shed. The assumption was justified."

"Now, granted, that may be true," Jonas fixed his glasses and sniffed, "assuming things, little missy, makes an ass out of you and me.  _Buuuuut_ , seeing as you flew all the way here from Beacon Academy on a  _special_  mission, I'm willing to look the other way."

"Of... course," Weiss spoke through gritted teeth as she forced as polite a smile she could muster on her face.

"So, was there anything that y'all wanna know bout me in particular?"

"Actually, I've been quite curious about something for a while now," said Blake. "The few things that Jaune let slip about his life before Beacon was that he hoped to live up to your achievements one day. Though he was often very vague about it what those achievement was, the tone he adopts whenever he spoke showed us that he greatly admires you. As his father, and as an Arc, what exactly were you famous for, if you don't mind me asking, that is?"

"I've been wondering about that too. What was your big moment? What cemented you in the annals of history alongside your ancestors?" said Weiss.

"Aw, shucks. Tweren't nothing special. I just did what I had to do, like my father before me ,and his mother before him." Jonas scratched at his chin, a contemplative look gracing his features. "Cept, I was never really recognized for my exploits for... reasons. Eh, wasn't a big deal anyway. All I did was fight in the Revolution." At hearing this, Blake gasped. Her eyes went wide, and her ears began to twitch uncontrollably beneath the cover of her bow.

"You, you're referring to the  _Faunus Rights Revolution_." Blake spoke out, wanting to hear more. "You were involved in it?" she asked as her friends all leaned in closer to better hear Jonas's tale, their interests piqued.

"Eeyeeeah, sorta. Grandia was neutral during the conflict. Our job was to take in the refugees that'd been displaced by all the fighting and delivering aid to war torn settlements. I did my part just like everyone else, but it was after the war when things got a little too real for me."

* * *

"It'd been a few week after the Humanist had surrendered to the Revolutionaries. The Faunus had earned their equality through blood and the world as a whole was slowly adapting to the changes brought upon it. However, even as the governments of the world began repealing anti-Faunus laws and acts, a small but affluent group of intolerant dingbats refused to let their businesses be ruined by, uh,  _animal freaks_."

"They were willing to destroy this new peace at any cost if it meant protecting their investments."

"This group never had an official name due to their shadowy nature, but I called them  _the Elite_. They were individuals that either headed or manipulated some of the most powerful organizations on the planet. I'm sure you're all familiar with big names like Omega-Tech Arms Manufacturer, Blud  & Iron Private Military Contractor, Vision Net Media, Remnant Agriculture, and  _Schnee Dust Corporation_. Those were but a few that belonged to this cabal."

"Hmm..." Jonas paused before turning around and giving Weiss a curious look. Weiss shrank under his scrutiny. He may have been a goof, but he was a goof with a thunderous voice that could easily break willpower. "Say, rude little missy. Ain't your last name, Schnee? Any relations?"

"I, er, uh," Weiss swallowed the lump forming in her throat before composing herself and speaking with practiced experience. "Yes. I am the second child Jacques Schnee, current head of the Schnee Dust Corporation and all of its affiliated sister companies. I am also the heir apparent to my family's company."

"The heiress herself, eh?" Jonas whistled in surprise. "Man, what did that boy say to you? Must've been something real special if he managed to grab the attention of a Schnee."

"Wait, wait, wait. Hold on for a second," Yang brought up a hand. "Before you go on, you mean to tell us that there used to be a secret group of rich pricks out there working together to destroy peaceful relations between humans and Faunus? What the hell!? And how were you involved in all of this?"

"Hold your horses, little lady. Yes, the Elite existed, and as for my involvement, well, I was just getting to that." Jonas scratched at his head. "Now, where was I? Oh, right. The Elite had spent time amassing their wealth, hiring mooks, and were preparing for one hell of a media blitz to reignite anti-Faunus sentiments. The powder kegs had been primed, all they needed now was the match. That match came in the form of my best friend: Lync A. Thorpe."

"Lync was a good guy. Tall, hairy, prone to hiccups. The big lug worked as a social activist in the city and was one of the driving forces behind pre and post war interracial relations. His work was what allowed the Faunus to live within the borders of the kingdoms as first class citizens... it was what also got him murdered. The Elite targeted him specifically, using the backlash from his death as a springboard towards their endgame."

"They were counting on framing his girlfriend, a Faunus named Feuerah Vulpes. Sweet gal. Lync was planning on popping the question to her once they got the marriage restrictions lifted, a shame he never got the chance to. Tragic, really. The Elite had their goons mutilate Lync's corpse and planted false evidence to make it look like Feuerah tore him apart in a fit of rage."

"The Elite sound incredibly arrogant if they believe the death of one man could single handedly undo everything the Revolutionaries had fought for." Blake crossed her arms.

"It only takes a spark to start a fire. That and some kind of accelerant. With one of the major news outlets in their pocket, word of Lync's murder would spread to nearly every source on the planet.  _Innocent man viciously slaughtered by deceptive lover, animalistic nature of the killer to blame_. It was the perfect headline. And the Elite would've succeeding in reviving the hate machine if I hadn't been there to throw a wrench in it."

"Before Lync died he got in contact me. He talked about men in black stalking his every move, said he feared for his life. I set off with my old hunter's gear to find him, but by then it was already too late. Lync was gone, and Feuerah had been convicted by the Vale Police Department. I had to help her. It's what Lync would've wanted. I got to work immediately, knowing full well that I wouldn't be able to see my family for a while."

* * *

"That was the start of the hardest year of my life."

"It was mine as well,  _vozlyublennyy_." Joanna spoke somberly. "A whole year without you. A whole year without your smile and touch and warmth. The bed was so cold at night. Cold like motherland."

"But I came back," Jonas went on his tippy toes and gave his wife a quick peck on the lips. "Just like I promised. Just like I said I would." Joanna blushed profusely, gushing from her husband's bold show of affection. The two were in own world now. They stopped in their tracks, lost in each others eyes. It was a love that could withstand the fury of a wrathful god and the end of all things. It was love, simply.

"Uh, I don't want to interrupt the little love fest you two got going on here, but, um, the story?" said Ruby.

"What?" Jonas and Joanna snapped out of their stupor and continued to walk again. "Right, right. Of course. Ahem, Now you know the background to everything. I'm just gonna skim through the boring parts and get into the real meat of the story."

* * *

"Alrighty, here we go. Within twenty-four hours, I turned the entire Vale Police department upside down freeing Feuerah from jail, dealt with the dirty cops working there, and turned myself into one huge blip on the Elite's radar. You'd be amaze how much people are willing to spill about their boss when you threaten to jam their crotch into a rotary pencil sharpener."

"Great, what an interesting image you've painted for us..." "Weiss resisted the urge to gag.

"And this 'Elite' group didn't make a big fuss about this?" Pyrrha raised an eyebrow. "Messing up their plans should've prompted them to do something about it. Why didn't they brand you a criminal on the news? It seemed like the most obvious thing to do."

"I'd counted on it, but I think they instead tried to spin the whole story to make it appear more sensational, all while maintaining their secrecy. Made it look like she busted out on her own and injured the officers. The Elite weren't afraid. After all, I was just one man. What was the worse that I could do to them? An all powerful group of businessmen, politicians, and warlords. That being said, they did try to stop me. I was loose end that needed tying up."

"After we escaped, Feuerah and I decided to lay low at a shanty town in the outskirts of Vale. It was a sizable encampment populated by Faunus civilians that had nowhere to go after the war ended. Lync and Feuerah were hard at work integrating them into society while the government were busy getting things squared away. We hid among the masses, blending in to avoid capture while planning our next move. Too bad we didn't know where to go from there."

"This is Jaune's favorite part of the story. He used to run around the house in his footie pajamas making noise and fighting invisible foes with a cardboard sword he'd made." The girls all quietly chuckled at the thought of a small Jaune acting out his father's heroism. "We were followed. I would've noticed if we weren't in such a rush, but a few mooks made their way into the encampment and started making noise."

"Skinheads. I assumed they were here to catch us and raid the town, kill two birds with one stone. They began harassing people to weed me out, that was when I screwed up. My first mistake was calling them out on their shenanigans, the second was ripping them a new one. It led to a lot of complications. I drew attention to myself again, and to the unfortunate citizens living there. The Elite didn't take my retaliation sitting down, they tried to get our heads again."

"The attacks kept on coming, each time escalating further than the last. I held them off with every ounce of strength that I could muster. I crossed swords with common thugs, professional mercenaries, heck, even Grimm. Grimm! Those bastards thought it'd be a good idea to release those monsters near a populated area in hopes of getting us. This became more than about me dismantling their narrative, it was personal now."

"You did all of that,  _alone_?" Ruby's jaw dropped. "That's insane!"

"In the beginning, I did it alone. But when they started bringing in the big guns the locals began rallying behind me. I guess I inspired them to pick up the nearest weapon they could find and defend their home. I still did most of the fighting, but now I had a militia back me up, undertrained and under armed as they may be. I taught them some basic stuff, but for the most part we relied on tried and true guerilla warfare tactics to deal with the oncoming threat."

"Before long, the denizens of this small shanty town became a formidable army capable of outwitting even the toughest opponents through their cunning. Eventually, after several grueling months of fighting, we successfully repelled the enemy for good. Then, either by dumb luck or some bizarre alignment of the planets bullcrap, I found Lync's killer; a low ranking Blud & Iron PMC grunt we'd managed to capture along with the rest of his team."

"Now, how did I identify him? Apparently the stupid idiot never pawned off the watch Feuerah got Lync for his birthday. He kept it as a souvenir. It was there on his arm, a silver analog watch with the initials L.T. engraved onto the latch. There were still specks of dried blood he'd failed to clean off crusting the space in between the metal strap. He spilled his guts the moment I looked at him. He admitted to everything."

* * *

"W-what..." Ruby swallowed thickly. "What did you do to him?"

"Me? Oh,  _I_  didn't do anything." Jonas grinned wickedly. "I just tied him up to a tree in the nearby woods and simply waited. The Nevermore hatchlings nesting in said tree did the rest. His screams of anguish echoed throughout the woods that day as he was ravenously devoured by them, all while begging for my help as I watched him suffer. It was like being at an opera house. Beautiful music to my ears."

"That's... pretty hardcore." Yang blinked. "If a bit gruesome. Talk about poetic justice."

"Wait a minute. This is starting to sound... familiar." Blake quietly pondered to herself.

"Was it really justice?" Jonas's grin straightened out. "I acted out of petty vengeance, vengeance that admittedly felt pretty damn satisfying, and killed a man in a needlessly cruel manner. Part of me felt I went overboard in punishing him, another believed it was justified. Regardless of how I felt, I knew that I wasn't finished just yet. That punk was only part of the whole, I had to go after the Elite next. It was time I took the fight to them."

* * *

"After giving Lync's watch back to Feuerah, we went our separate ways. No longer hounded by her pursuers, Feuerah stayed back at the town and continued her work in safety while I began tracking the Elite's whereabouts. The attack on the shanty town wasn't the only one, the Elite had hit other unprotected settlements while I was occupied. I had to stop them before things spiraled out of control. Thankfully, luck was on my side."

"Interrogating the prisoners about their employers, I learned that one of their members suffered a meltdown and became a liability for the entire organization. He was the CEO of Vision Net Media, and in attempting to cover up the attacks across the globe and spreading anti-Faunus propanganda, saw his countless billions tank dramatically over the course of the year. People just weren't buying into the crap the media was spewing."

"And to add insult to injury, the Valean government had carried out a private investigation on Vision Net Media and discovered just how scummy the whole business was. Embezzlement, money laundering, fraud, the list goes on and on They began seizing everything, and in one last pathetic bid for a reduced sentence, the CEO ratted out his partners. For all their power and influence they controlled, their members had a will of wobbly gelatin."

"Their existence made known, the Elite had to cut their operations short and scatter across the globe as I and agents of the four kingdoms hunted them down. With countless agents and specialists hunters hot on their trail, I played it smart and simply followed two steps behind. It was only a matter of finding the elusive members and exacting righteous fury unto them. Of the twenty five that made up the Elite, I managed to bury nineteen of them. The remaining six either willingly turned themselves in or painted the walls with their brain."

"Everything past this point kind of blurs together. With the Elite utterly destroyed and no possibility of future reformation, life marched on as if nothing happened. The four kingdoms, humiliated and on the verge of a potential PR nightmare, were desperate to save face. Each kingdom went about their own ways in covering up the fallout of the Elite's corruption. It was the greatest effort to alter public information that the world had ever known, or rather, didn't know."

"As for me... I went home."

* * *

"And that's the end of my story," Jonas stopped and let out a long sigh, wiping his brow the the back of his hand. "Phew, I remember my tale of loss, stubborn determination, and systematic revenge being a bit shorter... and more kid friendly. Oh, well." he shrugged, turning towards the girls. "So, what did y'all think? Neat, huh? I mean, yeah, it was longer than I'd remember it, but I still think it's a real nail biter."

"Neat is kind of downplaying it Mr. Arc," said Ruby. "But after hearing it, I think sounds, uh, it's a little... er, you know?" she nervously rubbed the back of neck.

"Unbelievable." Weiss finished for Ruby. "Look, I'm sorry, but your story sounds more like a flight of fancy than a heroic epic. Don't get me wrong, I think it was noble that you went out of your way to avenge your friend and defend innocent townsfolk, but a secretive cabal of powerful individuals, let alone one that involves my family's company? What is this, a movie? There are no such things. My father would never associate himself with such unsavory characters."

"And it seems awfully convenient that any information pertaining to the Elite have been meticulously scrubbed away by  _every_  government in the world." Yang tilted her head. "Though, I'm not saying it's implausible. The government gone through the whole cover up spiel before, but this definitely falls in the realm of conspiracy porn."

"I'm kind of on the same boat they are." Pyrrha joined in. "And while your heroism is noted, you're having trouble with the Girl Scouts?"

"Hey, if you had to deal with them, you'd understand. Other than that, I never expected y'all to believe me anyway," said Jonas. "But I assure you, everything that I've said is one hundred percent true. You asked how I got famous, in a way, and you got it."

"Well, I believe you," said Nora in a chipper tone of voice. "You're a true hero through and through, Mr. Arc. The world would've been a very different place if you hadn't stopped the Elite. For all we know, you ensured a future for everybody, human  _and_  Faunus."

"Heh, at least  _someone_  believes me." Jonas chuckled lightly. "It brings me down though knowing that even after everything we went through, and my own experience, that there are still plenty of others out there who continue to act ugly to one another because, what? Because they're different from us?."

"Tsk, Cardin..." Pyrrha mumbled beneath her breath before addressing Jonas. "Just know that we all share that same sentiment, Mr. Arc. Wouldn't you say so, Blake?" she turned over to Blake, who found herself trapped in a state of shock. "Er, Blake?" Blake did not answer for she was rooted to the ground as she came to a sudden realization. Her usual calm shattered, she brought a hand to her mouth as tears welled up in the corner of her eyes. She pointed to Jonas.

"Y-you..." Blake struggled to rein in her emotions. "You were shot on just below the chest."

"What?" Ruby was confused. "Blake, what are you talking about? How would you know that?"

Jonas subconsciously reached for his chest. He raised his tacky looking shirt up just enough to reveal a healed bullet wound exactly where Blake had described it to be, along with several other smaller scars that riddled his body. It was slightly discolored and dimply, but had healed enough to the point where it was almost unnoticeable. He gave Blake a look, perplexed as to how she knew about his old wound.

"This old thing? I got it while I was defending the town. Covered a kid who was about to get plugged by some PMC punk. Son of a bitch used hollowpoint rounds, damn thing nearly ripped my insides to shreds. It was a miracle I managed to surv-" Before Jonas could finish his sentence, Blake rushed forward and enveloped him a tight hug, something that caught him completely off guard. Her tears flowed freely as her friend's all watched the peculiar scene unfold.

"Whoa-ho-ho. Someone's friendly," he quipped.

"I never got the chance to thank you..." Blake spoke barely above a whisper.

"Thank me, for what?"

"For saving my life." Blake pulled away and composed herself, wiping away the wetness that stained her cheeks. "You probably don't remember me since it was a long time ago, and there were many of us, but I remember you. You taught me how to fight, how to outwit people, and when I was in over my head, you jumped in and saved me."

"Huh, well would you look at that! Wow," Jonas looked up at Blake, who towered a whole head and a half over him. "You got tall. Heh heh, small world, ain't it?" Jonas smiled.

"It is, it really is," Blake smiled back. "It's nice to meet the legendary  _White Fang_  again..."

* * *

Professor Port wandered down the long hallways of Beacon Academy, his brow knitted as he consider to himself what to have for lunch after a long day of enriching young minds and (once again) recounting his tales of glory and the hunt. Port was not a man of expensive taste, but he did have a refined palate for a rough and tumble seasoned veteran of a hunter. That, coupled with his finicky appetite, and it becomes quite difficult to satisfy his cravings.

The food that Beacon offered was worlds better than most school lunches, which is saying a lot in comparison to the slop public schools pass off as part of a  _balance diet_  to their students these days, but they were all one note meals. Delicious as they were, to him it was a forgettable experience. The roasted chicken was oft too dry, the soup could use a bit of salt, and the salads, good gracious, who just toss whole hard boiled eggs into a salad without slicing it up?

For the most part, he had held his tongue when it came to criticizing the chefs working there. There were, after all, hundreds of people eating there. It was only logical that Ozpin would cheap out on high end ingredients. If the food served there was already restaurant quality, then the school's budget would be put to better use elsewhere; such as replacing all of the simplistic lock and chains that kept the older buildings secure.

He needed some excitement in his meals, that special zing that leaves your taste buds tingling long after you finish. He needed-

*Sniff* *Sniff*

He needed-

*Sniff* *Sniff*

"Goodness!" he exclaimed. "What is that heavenly aroma?"

He looked all around himself, trying to pinpoint the origin of the most wondrous smell. To his surprise, the smell was emanating from the cafeteria. Since he was out for lunch anyway, he decided to go and check it out. When he stepped into the cafeteria, it was like entering a five star restaurant that haughty critics tout about in their reviews. Everything from the meals set on the table, to the ornate decorations draped across the windows screamed class and sophistication.

Sitting at the staff's table, which had been spruced up with a tasteful white tablecloth and some lit candles, were Ozpin and Oobleck, both of whom were casually chatting amongst as they enjoyed a picturesque meal. Ozpin's plate consisted of duck confit and an arugula salad lightly drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette, while Oobleck enjoyed crab stuffed mushrooms and a bowl of cool gazpacho. Just looking at the food made Port's stomach growl, which alerted them to his presence.

"Ah, Port. How are you," greeted Ozpin. "Are you here for lunch?"

"Did the rumble did it away?" Port raised an eyebrow. "What is all this? Is there some sort of obscure national holiday that I don't know about, or have you been holding out on us when it comes to fine dining?"

"Far from it, actually. In fact, I'm not sure myself. By the time Oobleck and I made it here, the students were stuffing themselves with all of this magnificent food. And I can't blame them. You have to try this duck confit, it is absolutely to die for."

"And the decor?" Port gestured around them.

"We don't know," Oobleck shrugged. "But hey, it makes us feel more cultured. Heck, I didn't know you could eat soup cold until I discovered gazpacho. It's truly a life changing experience. My compliments to the chef!"

"Merci beaucoup." A figure darted right beside them. It was Jaune, dressed in a chef's coat and hat speaking with a fluent french accent. "Do you find ze meal, eh, how zey say, exquisite?"

"Mr. Arc? You're the one cooking all of this?" Port asked.

"Qui. My friends and I, we-ah went to sate our appetite after skipping breakfast. But when I discovered just how  _boring_  ze food being served here was, I knew I had to correct zis injustice. So I ousted ze cook and began working my magic. Also, I tidied the place up. It's, eh, c'est magnifique, wouldn't you agree?"

"Most definitely!" Port let out a bellowing laugh. "Say, how about I place my order. I'm feeling a might peckish, and I demand only the best today!"

"Of course, what would you like?" Jaune pulled out a notepad and a pen

"I'm in the mood for something hearty, yet light. So, put me down for a white bean cassoulet as the appetizer, smoke salmon with quail eggs on a bed of grilled asparagus and pesto risotto for the main dish, and for dessert, a slice of blueberry cheesecake." Port chuckled inwardly. Sure, he wanted what he asked for, but he doubted the young Arc could whip all of that up with the lackluster ingredients in the pantry. Still, it would be nice to finally enjoy a meal worth enjoying.

"A man of very refined taste, I see?" Jaune smirked. "Very well. Please be seated, your meal will be out soon."

"Ah, it's alright that you can't cook any of th- whuuaah!?" Port reeled back, his eyes wide as dinner plates. "You mean, I can finally tantalize my taste buds?"

"Oh, believe me. Your taste buds would be more zan tantalized, it would be as if an angel reached out and tapped you on ze tongue. It will be...  _incroyable_."

"Thank you!" Port grabbed Jaune by the shoulders and started shaking him. "Thank you, my boy! This reminds me of the hunt!"

Port had to refrain himself from giving the boy a bone crushing hug. He shed manly tears as he seated himself beside Oobleck, his heart pounding maddeningly against his ribcage. If there weren't people around, he would've caused a scene by how overjoyed he was. At the same time, Glynda had entered with the same curious expression Port had earlier. She was about to question her colleagues when she noticed Jaune.

"Mister Arc. Is there a reason you're dressed as a chef?" Glynda didn't want to admit it, but he did look rather dashing in that outfit. No! No. She hadn't forgotten about her lapse in character around Juan. She had to be professional about it, lest she go through another dilemma like when she encountered Ruby. Though, it doesn't mean she can't silently admire how adorable he looked.

"I'm ze chef now. I kicked ze ozer guy to ze curb, did you quite ze favor. And please, we all know each other, call me  _Jean-Luc_ ," Jean-Luc replied.

"Oh, dear. I hope he doesn't sue." Glynda found it odd that Jean-Luc his swapped out his latin-esque accent to a french sounding one, but she couldn't deny that the sexiness in his voice was still there. Not that she cared, of course. Not at all. "By the way. Is there a particular reason that you've become," she gestured at him, "this? I've noticed you been acting strangely for the past few days now."

"Pfft!" Oobleck spit out his gazpacho, startling everyone around him. "Why are you all looking at me!? I know nothing about his changes in personality, absolutely nothing! And I most certainly  _not_  know that it involves a plastic ring from a children's novel! I admit it, I wet the bed until I was ten! Stop judging me! Stop it!" he yelled, flailing about as his chest rose up and down from lack of oxygen.

"...We're not," Glynda deadpanned.

"Oh..." Oobleck calmed down almost immediately. It was as if he had never even broke down into hysterics seconds earlier. Straightening out his tie, he returned to his meal. "Ignore my suspiciously specific denial then."

"Please clean yourself up, Oobleck," Glynda pinched the bridge of her nose before facing Jean-Luc again. "And, mister Arc. I hope you can make up for the loss of a great cook."

"I believe he already has, Glynda," said Ozpin. He wiped the edge of his mouth as he finished his duck confit. "I don't know what's going on with you, ahem, mister Jean-Luc Arc. One day you're swooning the ladies with your charm, and now you're hosting a banquet fit for royalty. Whatever it is, I do hope you can continue all this, because with your help we can finally fill out the holes in the school's budget."

"But, Ozpin." Glynda frowned. "He doesn't work here. He's a student."

"I can make some arrangements. In the meantime, Glynda, why not try the food? Mister Arc here takes requests. Go ahead, be adventurous," he encouraged. Glynda rolled her eyes. She knew better than to argue with Ozpin once he was set on something, whatever it was. Sighing, she turned to Jean-Luc, eyes sharp as knives. She clasped hand around his chin, pressing her nails into his skin.

"Steak tartare and a glass of chardonnay," her eyes narrowed as Jean-Luc swallowed thickly.

"I never took you for someone who would eat raw meat."

"It's an old favorite of mine," she spoke coldly as she let him go. "And don't you even dare try and seduce me while you cook."

"E-excusez-moi?"

"You. Heard. Me."

And like that, Jean-Luc took awkward steps away from Ms. Goodwitch and towards the kitchen, nervously glancing back every so often. When he was finally out of view, Glynda allowed a small devious smile to creep up on her lips. Whether or not she chose to pursue him, one thing was certain. She loved making him squirm.

* * *

In a small private corner of the lunchrooms, the boys with broken bones were living the life. An extravagant feast had been laid out before them by their french friend, and they were gorging themselves on everything in sight. Well, Sun and Neptune were, Ren had table manners and he at least remembered to exercise them. After getting thrown into a wall, putting up with Jaune's multiple personality disorder had finally paid off.

"To food," Sun raised his glass of scratch made fruit punch. "And to the best damn cook in all of Remnant!"

"Hear, hear." Ren tapped his own glass of coconut juice to Sun's and Neptunes'.

"And to Jean-Luc playing for the home team!" Neptune added.

"Hear, hear!" they all cheered.


	31. Fangs of White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Learn the history between the White Fang and Blake.

Who was the White Fang really?

Accounts of this enigmatic figure are quite plentiful among the Faunus, albeit with varying levels of legitimacy depending on who you ask. No two stories told are ever alike, and though each one have become widely embellished by the march of time and alcohol laden voices of modern day bards, there is some consistency to the tale of the White Fang. Namely, the color that make up his namesake, and the presence of a Faunus woman under his protection.

The White Fang, known then as simply ' _The Stranger_ ', appeared one early dawn in a homely shanty town somewhere in the wide open plains of Vale, garbed in a brilliant set of pearlescent armor and lustrous coat of white fur. In his protection was a fox Faunus woman, who, in surviving the eventual nightmare that was to come, would become a very prominent figure in the Faunus community at large.

From there however, the rest of the details are either greatly exaggerated, misconstrued, or were outright altered in favor of more exciting and song-worthy moments. Even those who had witnessed the rise of the White Fang firsthand find themselves romanticizing all of the myth surrounding the folk hero, elevating his already legendary status to absurd heights. This effect is especially pronounce among children.

For Blake Belladonna, young and terribly naive at the time, the White Fang practically jumped out from the worn pages of her storybooks. When thugs, foreign soldiers, and inhuman monstrosities descended upon her home without warning, terrorizing the innocent raid after raid with their wanton cruelty, the White Fang heroically leapt into the fray and crushed beneath his heaping metal slab of a weapon all that threatened the townsfolk with immense abhorrence.

The animalistic fury he displayed in battle inspired the townsfolk, stirring up their will to fight. Farmers, merchants, and even humble bakers took up arms and rallied behind this mysterious man, emboldened by his rapidly mounting victories and powerful voice. Under his tutelage, he taught them the ways of guerilla warfare, molding a small army of ordinary civilians that couldn't even walk in a straight line into a seemingly innumerable legion of lethal shadows.

Given all that he had done for her and her kinsfolk, Blake held onto the firm belief that the White Fang was, without a shadow of doubt, unbeatable. Blades, arrows, and bullets would shatter on his body, falling to the ground, useless. Men would be consumed in roaring hellfire that erupts from his heated gaze, incinerating them into splinters of charred bones. Nothing, not gods nor devils alike, could bring down this beast...

...At least, until he nearly succumbed to his own mortality because of a child's folly.

* * *

Blake was left in a stunned silence. Her hands were tightly clamped over her mouth as she struggled to rein in the scream threatening to escape her throat. There he was on the ground, clutching at the gaping, gnarled wound on the side of his body, breathing shallow, pupils dilated, hanging on by a thread as blood and shreds of his internal organs spilled out of him. She felt unbearably sick, and was unable to comprehend what was happening right before her eyes.

_The Stranger was dying._

The Stranger was dying and it was  _all her fault_  that he was like this.

Why didn't she listen to him? Why couldn't she just heed his word and remain in the safety of the bunker? Children had no place in war, and the Stranger made damn sure to keep them safe and out of harm's way. But being the stubborn girl that she was however, she sneaked away when the fighting broke out, armed with little more than a makeshift shiv and some shaky courage, intent on seeking out revenge upon the foreign invaders raiding her home.

Not thirty minutes later, Blake found herself on the edge of town, held at gunpoint by an injured mercenary she had tried to slay. As she had learned the hard way, blindly charging at your enemy and screaming like a banshee was a guaranteed way to alert them to your presence. The moment he turned around and pointed his weapon in her direction, every muscle in her body seized up and she became frozen with fear, left at the mercy of her quarry.

The mercenary, about yay tall and clothed in black fatigues with mismatched gear, let out a low sinister chuckle as he took aim at Blake, finger already squeezing against the trigger. Blake desperately,  _desperately_  wanted to run, to jump out of the way, or do anything other than gawk dumbly at the receiving end of a loaded gun like a deer caught in headlights, but her body just would not respond to her mental pleas.

The next few seconds were just a blur to her. A loud gunshot rang into the air and she felt a heavy force knock her body onto the ground. Was this what it felt like to be shot? She wasn't sure. Her eyes were screwed shut the entire time and she didn't dare open them. There was no real pain, however. The most she felt was numb and disoriented, like the world just suddenly turned upside down, flinging her onto the ground with a unceremonious thud.

Blake was left in darkness. Her addled senses made it difficult to perceive her surroundings clearly, but they were there. She could feel the cool wind tickle the tips of her ears, and the wet coarse grass beneath her prickling her skin. There was something else also, a growling sound. It sounded like a wolf's snarl, low and steady, full of intimidation. Taking a deep breath, Blake slowly let eye open and beheld the sight of the Stranger towering over her.

It was hard to make out his appearance, but she could discern that he was in very rough shape. No doubt from all of the ceaseless fighting he had to endure these past few month.

The mop of blonde hair on his head was dirty and bedraggled, lacking its usual ponytail. His armor, once flawless and full of shine, was now dull and riddled with a number of dents, holes, and tears, rendering it near useless in protecting the wearer.

The white fur that formed the collar of the chest piece, intricate trimming on the bracers and greaves, and patterned cape hanging on the side of his hip had lost a lot of its luster, was left in tatters, and caked in dried blood both his own and that of his enemies. Lastly, his left arm hung limply below his shoulder, broken, yet it twitched sporadically with life every so often. But even with all of his wounds, the Stranger stood tall and proud, adrenaline pumping through his veins.

Blake watched with both eyes open as he turned his head to make sure she was okay. Though strands of his hair obscured his face, his expression was soft and gentle, like the kind her father wore whenever he would tuck her into bed for the night. Then in an instant, it changed. A scowl formed on his lips, and his eyes narrowed into a deathly glare. His head snapped towards the mercenary, red blurring his vision.

What happened next would become engraved in Blake's memories for years to come.

The Stranger, overcome with rage, let out a thunderous war cry so loud that the very earth and sky trembled from his might. It echoed outwards, morphing into a howl that heartened Blake, washing away whatever weariness that lingered in her soul, and stunning his opposition into inaction.

He then reached for the massive weapon sheathed below his back; a stocky slab of iron that was too big, too thick, too heavy, and too crude to be called a proper sword. It was asymmetrically trapezoidal in shape, and had a hole cut out in one end to form a primitive handle that was wrapped in a raggedy yellow cloth. Much like himself, the brutal looking blade suffered from battle damage, with deep chips marring the dull edge and surface of the blade.

For a weapon of its size, the Stranger wielded it with mild difficulty in his dominant hand. And though he starts off dragging it through the dirt, the moment he begins to pick up speed the sword steadily lifts off of the ground.

Breaking free from his stupor, the mercenary fumbled around with his gun before reacting with a hail of gunfire towards the charging Stranger. Raising his sword, the Stranger used the wide body of the blade to shield himself from the bullets flying at him. Gritting his teeth, he pushed forward, stubbornly resisting the force pounding down on his sword. In no time flat, the Stranger was right in front of the mercenary, sword raised high.

With tremendous strength, the Stranger brought his blade down with a loud crash, scarring the ground and sending a thick cloud of dirt and rock billowing into the air.

Impressive as that was however, the mercenary saved himself from a gory fate by backstepping away at the very last moment, narrowly dodging the sword but having his main weapon destroyed in the process. Undeterred, the mercenary took advantage of his small window of opportunity and delivered a counterattack. He reached for his own blade, a long machete with a wicked sawtooth edge, and immediately lunged forward as the Stranger struggled to pull his sword out of the ground.

Thinking fast, the Stranger gripped onto his sword tight and used it as an anchor as he whipped his leg in a wide arcing kick, deflecting the machete away with his greaves. The mercenary felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach as the machete was knocked out of his hands. He didn't expected such a swift reversal from a man who had one foot already in the grave. Off balance and weapon gone about thirty feet thataway, panic began to set in for him.

Following through with his kick, the Stranger used the momentum to twist his body around, dislodging his sword and setting him up for another swing. Lowering his center of gravity, the Stranger swung his blade up, twirling his wrist and letting the blade carve out of the ground and up the unfortunate mercenary from his groin to the base of his neck in one smooth motion. It was a swift cut, jagged and uneven, exposing his organs and bones in full view of everyone.

Then, a golden light flared up from the crack in the ground. It webbed outwards, trailing across the ground and up to the mercenary's wound, gleaming brilliantly like the sun. The mercenary screamed in anguish as the light poured from out of his wound, searing him from the inside out. His own aura being used against him in the most horrifying way possible. It grew brighter, and brighter, consuming him until it became absolutely blinding.

An eruption followed shortly after, rocking the ground with a slight tremor, forcing Blake to look away. When the the dust finally settled, she looked on in awe as the Stranger strode towards her, triumphant. Little fading speckles of light danced around him, bathing him in a dim glow that gave him an almost supernatural appearance. Behind him laid the smoking corpse of the late mercenary, a charred husk of the man he used to be.

Blake's imaginative mind kicked into overdrive that moment. She had heard about the Stranger's fighting skill through adult chatter, but to witness it in person? Truly an experience to behold. His style of fighting was so alien to her, and at the very same time, inspiring. He was so barbaric and savage, like wolf on the hunt. She picked herself up off the ground. She wanted to thank him for saving her life, to shower him with praise and adoration, but she never got the chance.

When he was but mere inches away from Blake, the Stranger collapsed onto his knees and broke into a violent coughing fit. The adrenaline that fueled his every action had drained away from his body, and in its place, an unbearable pain that had been numbed throughout the entirety of the fight. Dizzy and exhausted, he keeled over onto his back, ripping away part of his damaged chest plate, revealing a severe bullet wound that dwarfed all of his prior injuries.

And that was how Blake ended up where she was now. No longer able to hold back the emotions that raged within her, she began weeping uncontrollably, prostrating herself before the Stranger, tearfully begging for his forgiveness. Her sobs wracked throughout her body, and the guilt of knowing that she let the one person standing between her home and utter destruction die as a result of her recklessness was too much to bear.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." she whimpered, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. "I just wanted to help. I-I wanted those bad men to pay for what they've done. We've lost so many already, we can't lose you too." Her head hung low, eyes dimmed. "If we could switch places, I'd do it in a heartbeat..."

"...Jocelyn, is that you?" the Stranger suddenly spoke, causing Blake's eyes to widen. He stared at Blake with glassy eyes, fleeting with life. "Dad's sorry that he missed your birthday. You're thirteen now, aren't you? A full fledged teenager, just like Jacqueline. You know what that means, right? Your mother's gonna start threatening the local boys to prevent them from getting any bright ideas. Heh heh," he rambled on, delirious in his death throes.

"What?" Blake shook her head. "No, mister. My name is Blake."

"B-Blake?" the Stranger blinked, snapping out of his stupor. "Oh, it's you. The girl I s-saved... What a pretty name you've got," he smiled like a dope. "You look just like her, my delicate little flower. Ha, I guess that's why I went a little overboard earlier. Jocelyn's always being p-picked on by others. Seeing you about to get shot must've cause my paternal instincts to kick in, and it drove me over the edge... I'm glad you're okay."

"But you're not."

"It's just a f-flesh wound, kid. I-I'll be fine, just you see." He lied. The Stranger didn't want to cause any more panic for the girl that reminded him of his daughter. The truth was that unless he receives immediate medical attention and got himself sewed up soon, he was going to die from blood loss. That much was certain. The least he could do was reassure her, cruel at it was to give false hope to a child. "Say, I think the fighting's over. Why don't we chat for a spell? Tell me about yourself, Blake."

"Um, o-okay." Blake sniffed. "I'm seven years old, I-I like to read lots of books, and my favorite food is fish."

"Any particular kind of fish? I'm a salmon man myself, especially of the smoked variety."

"Erm, I like salmon too, but I've been leaning more towards yellowtail lately." replied Blake, eliciting a wheezy chuckle from the Stranger.

"Eh heh, I see you are a lady of good taste. Hmm, you know, I have a s-son your age. His name's Jaune. He's my bouncing boy, and all his sister's love him dearly. If you two ever meet, I hope the two of you become the best of frien... best of fr-fri... best..." His breathing slowed down. A wave of exhaustion overtook him and darkness crept up from the corner of his eyes. He fought with every ounce of willpower he had left in his body to stay conscious, but to no avail. He was losing the battle, and losing it fast.

"Mister?" Blake asked.

"S-Sorry," he breathed. "I'm just, feeling sleepy. Might have to... take a nap soon. Yeah. That's it. a nice long... nap..." He became eerily still after that, drawing concern from Blake. But before she could act on her suspicions, a gruff familiar sounding voice called out to her.

"Blake!" She turned to find the source of the voice, and saw her father, Ghira Belladonna, and his friends sprinting towards her. "What did I tell you about leaving the bunker!" he scolded his daughter. "It's dangerous out here, you could've gotten kil- Guh!?" Ghira stopped short when he finally noticed the body lying next to her. The cold unmoving body of the Stranger. "No... this can't be." He turned to Blake. "What happened here?"

"He... He saved me, dad. I was almost about to be killed when he jumped in and rescue me. And now..." Blake was on the verge of tears again. She didn't want to finish her sentence. Whatever anger and fear Ghira harbored earlier evaporated when he saw how devastated Blake was. He would have to lecture her later, there were more pressing matters to attend to at the moment.

"Go back to mom, sweetie. Dad and his friends will handle this." He spoke softly, comforting his daughter in his embrace.

"No," Blake shook her head. "I want to stay, dad. I need to know that he'll be okay."

"But-"

"Ghira!" one of Ghira's friends, a dog Faunus, spoke up. "I hear a pulse. It's faint, but it's there." Ghira released Blake from his hold and knelt over the Stranger. He examined the man, and was left at a complete loss for words. Most people would've died from shock after everything he just went through. Yet, there he was. Unconscious, bleeding out on the ground, bones broken in several different places, but still alive, if barely.

"By Monty..." Ghira whispered. "What are you?"

"Ghira, hand me your flask," said the wolf Faunus.

"Is now really the time to drink!?" Ghira snapped.

"No, you jackass! I need it to disinfect the gaping hole sticking out the side of the Stranger! If we can get him stabilized and haul him back to town, he might just be able to make it..."


	32. The J Generation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tour continues, the girls are judged, a new face arrives, and a restaurant is open for business.

It was a touching reunion between Blake Belladonna and Jonas Arc, or as the girl had tearfully revealed to everyone's bewilderment; the enigmatic folk hero of the Faunus, the  _White Fang_. She was beyond ecstatic, having met the man who stoked the flames of rebellion for Faunus-kind, out of pure circumstance no less. In her fit of joy, she'd even went out of her way to regale everyone with the story of how Jonas saved her home and her life, embellishment and all.

When she finished, her friends all stared at her in wonder, partly because of how passionate she was when she spoke, and the fact that halfway through her tale she started freaking out like a rabid fangirl.

The sight of the usually stoic Faunus expressing anything other than quiet disinterest or righteous fury was... unnerving to say the least. The high pitched squeals, the hyperactive shaking, the luminous glint of excitement twinkling in her eyes... the small bit of foam bubbling off the edge of her plump lips. She was basically Nora with cat ears and a tail.

Speaking of Nora, "BWUAAAAAAAAH-HA-HA-HA!" the poor girl had been beside herself throughout the story. It was so touching that she began bawling her eyes out, wailing uncontrollably at the beauty of it all. "That *sniff* that was so saaaaaad! H-how Mr. Arc saved you because you reminded him of his family, and, and *sniff* how he comforted you even as he was a-almost about to... about to... BWUAAAAAAAAH!"

In the midst of her crying, she quickly reached for the closest thing she could grab a hold of, which unfortunately was Ruby's hooded cape, and brought it up to her tear and snot stained face.

"Whuah!? Nora, wait!" Ruby protested, but she was not quick enough to prevent her beloved cape from getting drenched in mucus. Nora noisily blew her nose on it, sounding like an off tune trumpet in a jar full of strawberry jam, much to Ruby's disgust. Ruby made a mental note to thoroughly disinfect her cape when they get home, seeing as it was a caustic breeding ground for Nora germs now. "...I had a hanky, you know?" she grumbled.

After everyone took the time to process this new information about Blake's past, and for Ruby to get over the shock of having her cape defiled, things took a turn for the awkward when Jonas brought up the topic of the White Fang group. Jonas hadn't known about his title until today, and while he was flattered to have gained such a thing, knowing that it was also the name of an infamous terrorist group that had done more than their fair share of morally questionable acts rendered the flattery moot. He wasn't mad, he was just disappointed.

"W-well, you see... About that," Blake began fidgeting in place, twiddling her thumbs behind her back. "After you left town to pursue the Elite, a majority of the Faunus, my family included, migrated to the continent of Menagerie where we formed the White Fang, in honor of your heroism. Our original goal was to combat the injustice that Faunus-kind was still suffering from even after the revolution had ended."

"For a while, we were doing good. But when a thug named Roman Torchwick somehow muscled his way into the ranks as its new leader, that's when things started to go downhill. The very same people you saved all those years ago, the ones you taught how to fight, were manipulated into committing acts of violence under the false pretense of ensuring equality between humans and Faunus. From there, things began spiralling out of control."

"Which leads us to the White Fang of today," Jonas nodded in understanding. "Tsk, tsk, shame. A real shame. I do hope that they come to their senses soon. It's only a matter of time before they tick off the wrong folks, and end up paying the price for it."

"...You have to help them," Blake spoke solemnly.

"Hmm?" Jonas raised an eyebrow.

"It's true what you say. Sooner or later the White Fang are going to end up doing something that would get them targeted and destroyed, or worse. You have to make them see the error of their ways before it's too late." She paused, locking eyes sternly with Jonas. "You're  _the_  White Fang, they'll listen to you in a heartbeat."

Jonas became lost in deep thought, contemplating her request. For a moment, Blake looked hopeful, but her expression fell when Jonas shook his head before replying, "I'm sorry, Blake, but I can't. Fraid it ain't that simple."

"What do you mean?" She stared at him incredulously. "It'd barely take any effort. The White Fang, heck, my kinsfolk in general, are damn near fanatical about you. Your word alone would be all that it takes for them to stop their criminal acts and repent for their crimes."

"And that's wherein the problem lies," Jonas spoke gently, like he did so many years ago. "I ain't some mythological figure like you say everyone makes me out to be. I ain't twelve feet tall, I ain't sporting a carpet of virility on my chest, and I most certainly ain't capable of setting things ablaze with just a look," he paused for a moment, scratching his chin, "though admittedly that would be a pretty neat trick to have... Make for fun gag with the guys."

"But you're... you're you! You're the White Fang!"

"And the White Fang is a four foot four yokel from the backwaters of Grandia dressed like a fashion blind tourist," Jonas deadpanned. "Even if I looked like I did back then, the people would sooner believe that Ironwood feller to be the White Fang than someone like me." Blake opened her mouth to retort, but found herself nodding in agreement to his reasoning.

"I... guess you're right," Blake conceded, letting out a long winded sigh. "Huh, even I find it unbelieveable."

"Ouch, talk about a blow to my ego," Jonas chuckled jovially. "Nah, I'm just messing with ya. But you've got to understand, the problem with the White Fang can't be solved with a speech from little ol' me. This is a layered problem that has to be handled carefully. Ya gotta think about the long term," he playfully scratched behind Blake's bow, to which she reeled back with a blush.

"The long term?" Blake questioned, composing herself.

"That's right," Jonas smiled. "Think about it, even if I did succeed in changing the heart of the group, what's stopping them from splintering off and forming another one more fanatical and extreme than the last? If I came into the picture out of the blue like the second coming of Monty or something it'd reinforce their belief in me, and when I mean their belief, I mean  _their_  belief." Blake knitted her brow in thought. Slowly, but surely, his words began to make sense.

"Their  _image_  of the White Fang," Blake breathed, shocked at how she could've forgotten such a detail. A detail that affected even her.

"Now you're getting it," Jonas smiled. "If you want the White Fang to repent for all they've done and start making amends, you need to get everyone on the same page. And perhaps most importantly, no more bull about me, no more lies... Okay, wait. You know what, for this to work you might have to lie about me a bit. But my point still stands."

"And how do you propose I go about doing that?"

"I'm sure you and you band of buddies can come up with something, seeing as you got lots of free time," he winked. The implications was not lost on Blake. Jonas still believed she and her friends were here for Jaune's hand in love. "Though personally, I feel an elaborate ruse would get your point across. How you choose to enact it, well, that's up to you. "

"That doesn't sound too bad of an idea," Blake nodded. "But, maybe I can dwell on it at another time. Preferably after this visit. Speaking of which..."

"Ah, ah, ah. Say no more. This old dog's taken up enough of your precious time with his boundless exposition. Let us make our way to the main household, hopefully without any more surpri- Oh, dagnabbit!" Jonas suddenly exclaimed. He turned to his wife. "Honey, I just remembered something important. I gotta run down to the butcher shop for tonight's dinner. Think you can you take over the tour for me?"

"Of course, my sweet little pierogi," Joanna leaned down gave Jonas a quick smooch on the lips. "Mwuah! Don't be long, dear."

"I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail, honey. Or at least the regional equivalent of one." He addressed the girls as he embarked on his trip. "Y'all behave now. Wouldn't want to do anything to embarrass yourself in front of your possible future in-laws now would you?"

"Heh, heh. We'll keep that in mind, Mister Arc. Come back soon," Ruby replied weakly. With that, Jonas vanished into the bustling sprawl that was his home to complete his errand, his very presence consumed by the idle chatter of aging relatives and screaming children.

"Well then, let us be on our way," said Joanna, guiding the girls along. "The main household is just up ahead."

"Pfft, finally," Yang quipped, propping up her elbow against Blake's shoulder as they walked. "Man, you sure took your sweet time chatting it up with Arc senior."

"What?" Blake shrugged. "A girl can't have a nice heart to heart with her childhood hero?"

"That wasn't a heart to heart, Blake," Yang rolled her eyes. "A heart to heart is when my dad talks to me about what to do when a boy starts harassing me or my sister. That was an ' _oh my gosh, I'm like your biggest fan ever, would you please autograph my boobs!?_ ' over the top fangasm that I would never have expected to come from you of all people."

"Nothing like that happened, okay. Absolutely nothing at all."

"But we all sa-" Yang paused when she felt Blake's hand grip fiercely onto her arm, her sharp nails dug deep into the skin.

" _Nothing. Happened_ ," Blake growled predatorily, glaring at her friends with slitted eyes. "And even if something did happen,  _which it didn't_ , not one word of this leaves our little group. Things would be...  _difficult_  between us if word of my uncharacteristic freakout were to reach the ears of someone like, oh say, Sun. And we wouldn't want that now, do we?" It wasn't a question, it was a demand. Gulping, everyone nodded along. "Good. Now, someone, change the subject."

"Er, okay," Pyrrha released a breath she didn't even know she was holding. "So... you're a faunus, huh?"

"Mmhmm," Blake unraveled the bow atop her head, revealing her triangular cat ears. "Guess I'm out of the bag now, aren't I? Don't need these here."

"Ooh, neat!" Nora poked at Blake's ears, watching with glee as they flicked away from her touch. "Wow. That is the coolest thing I have ever seen."

"Oh, you say that about everything, Nora," said Weiss.

"Well, it  _is_  cool," Nora retorted.

"Were you ever going to tell us about this?" Pyrrha inquired.

"Hadn't planned on it," said Blake, stuffing her ribbon into her pocket. "Don't get me wrong. I had my reasons for hiding what I really am. But, now you know. I would appreciate if you kept it a secret though."

"Don't you worry about a thing. Our lips are sealed," Nora brought her hand to her mouthing and mimed a zipping motion.

"Thank you," Blake smiled.

"Here we are," Joanna announced, turning the girls' attention to the monumental structure before them. "Our humble abode."

* * *

Humble was not the proper word to use in this context.

The main household of the Arc's could be best described as an impressive amalgamate chateau, the product of centuries of constant renovations and unneeded add ons to what was once the original core home. It was part medieval castle, part cozy farmhouse, and part modern day architectural marvel, all the while exhibiting an odd assortment of Baroque, Neoclassical, and Cubic designs.

It was a gargantuan complex roughly around two hundred thousand square feet, give or take a few inches, and boasted four main floors if the rising column of windows were anything to go by, and at least two extra ones for the keep on one corner of the home. There was a observatory dome present on the roof, an open air cafe on the left wing of the building, and many other impractical facilities that should not be standard in the average household.

The girls had thought that there was nothing else that could surprise them after seeing the main courtyard and running into Jonas, but fate had proven them wrong once. After picking up their jaws from the floor, the girls all followed Joanna into the foyer of the chateau where they immediately stricken with awe at the grandiose interior. The exterior was impressive enough, the interior however, was an entirely different story.

Floors of earthen marble, polished to a mirror shine, graced the soles of the girls' shoes with a slight squeak. Light poured in from numerous bay windows that'd been adorned with velvet curtains, illuminating the spacious room and drawing attention to the staggering numbers of framed photographs and paintings on the walls. Even mundane details such as the floor moulding had a touch of elegance to it.

In spite of the room's sophisticated appearance, however, Pyrrha did notice some of the more personal touches that reminded her this was the home of her crush and his eccentric family. Over on one end of the room, hidden behind an umbrella stand were a series of lines scrawled onto the wall through a multitude of crayon colors. It was a crude record of Jaune's growth throughout the years. She chuckled to herself. He really was a lovable goofball.

As Pyrrha mused to herself, Yang let out a whistle of amazement as she examined the room. "Dang, Jaune's been holding out on us."

"Tell me about it," said Ruby, staring at her own reflection on the floor. "If this is just the foyer, I wonder how ridiculous the other rooms will be."

"This is unbelievable," Weiss breathed in disbelief. "This place is bigger than the Schnee family manor."

"Huh, guess the Schnee's are second best now when it comes to living large," Nora quipped as she ran her hand along the velvet curtains. "Boy, talk about snazzy. Jaune's house must be worth a one with a lot of zeroes behind it."

"Ahem," Joanna cleared her throat, turning everyone's attention to her. "If you will, living room is right down hallway. There, we begin vetting process."

"Uh, the what now?" Nora scratched her head.

"Vetting process," Joanna repeated." Now come."

"We better do what she says," Weiss whispered. "I want to get on her good side, and you all should too."

"Agreed," Ruby nodded. "Though, given everything that's happened so far, we should also expect the unexpected. Just to be safe on the safe side."

Nodding silently in agreement, the girls all followed Joanna into a spacious parlor brimming with exotic furniture and decor. Joanna stood by the parlor window, a wooden medallion of sorts clasped in her hands. It was carved from a chunk of dark wood with an unfamiliar curved symbol etched onto its surface and adorned with miscellaneous turquoise charms and dark raven feathers. Judging by the way she held it, it must hold some sort of significance to her.

"Sit," she spoke in a welcoming tone, gesturing to the sofa with the plastic covered seats. One by one, each of the girls took their seat upon the sofa, fidgeting around in place to find a some modicum of comfort as the crinkling plastic grated their ears. "Comfy?" she asked.

"Er... Yes?" said Yang, who was clearly uncomfortable, as she rested her hand upon her cheek. "So, um, you were saying something about a 'vetting' process?"

"Yes," said Joanna, running her thumb along the coarse surface of the medallion. "You must know, I am glad that my son has had such a wonderful time at Beacon Academy since he departed from home, and have had opportunity to make such wonderful friends. But for one of Parabolla clan, courtship is serious matter." Her soft eyes suddenly turned hard, and she crushed the medallion in her hand with frightening ease.

A loud crack rang into the air from the sheer amount of pressure she exuded unto the medallion, splintering it into wooden shards that clattered onto the ground. The sudden shock of noise nearly caused the girls to jump out of their own skin before breaking out into a cold sweat as Joanna leveled a scrutinizing gaze on them.

"I, Joanna Arc, Matriarch of Parabolla Clan, Fury of the Frozen Tundra, Ghost of the Glacial Wyvern, White Queen of Arctic North, faithful wife of Jonas Arc, proud mother of eight beautiful children, invoke the sacred rite of courtship as declared by ancient law of my people to allow my beloved son's suitors to undergo special trial to see if they are deemed worthy of courting him!" She proclaimed fervently, a roaring flame blazed in her eyes.

"Let us begin!" With a stomp of a foot, the building shook violently, rocking the girls to and fro and causing the various mementos to rumble about around the parlor. But one object had been knocked off the rack securing it. It fell and landed directly upon Joanna's outstretched hand, smacking right into the middle of her palm. It was a great bow. A very,  _very_ , big great bow.

Joanna's great bow was an imposing weapon that thrummed with raw power. Twirling it into an upright position, the great bow stood just a little taller than Joanna by a scant few inches. It had strong limbs thick as oak branches, and a taut bowstring made of braided animal sinew that looked closer to a length of rope than a thin thread. There were runic engravings done along the entire length of the bow that flickered dimly to the rhythm of eternity.

"Mat Zima. With this weapon, I will judge each and every one of you. If you succeed in passing my trial, you've earned the right to court Jaune." Joanna walked over to the nearby closet, right past the collection of tiny porcelain puppies with comically oversized heads, and casually rummaged through its contents. "Bah! I clean up house top to bottom, and still can't find what I need. Typical... Hmm... Aha!" she exclaimed, pulling out what she'd been searching for; a javelin, or rather, a javelin sized arrow with an obsidian arrowhead point.

"W-whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold up for just one second!" Yang shouted, swallowing the lump in her throat. "What are you gonna do with that!?" she pointed to the bow, fear creeping behind her back.

"Is for trial," Joanna replied, her fervorous attitude having flipped back to her regular chipper self. "The trial is simple. I will fire arrow at you using bow at range of three meters in living room, you catch arrow before it hits you. See? So simple little girls can do it blindfolded. Now," she began nocking her arrow, "who would like to go first? Any volunteers? Come now, don't be shy. If your love for him is strong than this will be no problem."

"B-b-but, isn't this a little extreme!?" Ruby backed up so far into the sofa she molded her form against it.

"Y-yeah!" Weiss yelped. "C-can't we just have a nice chat over tea and b-biscuits like a normal mom would do? N-not implying that your are abnormal or anything, it's jus-"

"Nonsense!" Joanna cheered, pulling her bowstring back. "Is old tradition from homeland. Now, if one of you won't volunteer, then I'll just have to pick at random!" she drew her bowstring back at full strength and began alternating her aim between the six.

"Here we go! Eenie..." she aimed at Blake, who immediately hid behind Yang, much to the latter's terror.

"Meenie," she aimed at Pyrrha, who instinctively leaned away from the bow's line of fire.

"Miney..." she aimed at Ruby, who audibly gulped as she felt her whole body shake like a rag in the wind.

"Come now. Is no one willing?" Joanna frowned. "Tsk, tsk, I fear I might have overestimated all of you."

"Well, I for one ain't backing out of this like a wuss!" Yang roared out of the blue, mustering the courage to look death right in the eye and telling his boney ass to go take a hike. She shot up to her feet and assumed her fighting stance. "You wanna do this Mrs. A? Huh? Well, I'll do it! Come on, hit me! I'll pass this trial, you'll see. And then..." she shot a finger towards Joanna, "I'll go after you Jaune with everything I've got!"

"Ha! Khorosho!" Joanna smiled brightly. "I see you have fire in you, child. Strong. Bold. Full of life. Back home, you'd have been envy of all women in clan. But are you worthy of courting my son? Let us find out." She trained her aim upon Yang, ready to release her grip, when a voice suddenly cried out and grabbed her attention.

* * *

"Mother!" The voice snapped Joanna out of her concentration, causing her to let loose the arrow prematurely, and fortunately enough, away from our fierce heroines. The massive arrow zipped through the air like a blur, only to be caught almost immediately by the lightning quick reflexes of a young woman in her twenties. All eyes turned to the new presence in the room, who glared at Joanna with an unamused look in her radiant blue eyes.

The woman was a prim buxom beauty whose ramrod straight posture and clean appearance denoted a professional attitude, and a focused demeanor. She was about as tall as Joanna, if a hair shorter, but just as imposing in stature. Her raven black hair was well kept and maintained in a immaculate bun that had a short tuff blooming out from the center like a flower. A lone beauty mark rested upon her cheek, just barely above the right end of her peach colored lips.

Her attire was eye catching for something many would allude to as 'corporate casual'. She wore a black as pitch slim fit business suit, a matching skirt that accentuated just how long her legs were, and a blindingly white dress shirt underneath. Around her neck was a round silver bolo tie that'd been inlaid with topaz in the shape of the Arc family sigil.

"Jacqueline?" Joanna looked surprised. "You're home early."

"I caught wind at work today that we had special guests visiting our less than humble estate for dinner," said Jacqueline with a sigh, depositing the arrow into the nearby umbrella stand. "I worked as fast as I could with my clients in order to prevent you from doing all of this. But unfortunately, it appears I am too late." Jacqueline groaned in exasperation, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Mom, what are you doing? I thought we agreed no more trials."

"But, Jacqueline, it's tradition." replied Joanna, setting down her bow. "Ancient law dictates I screen all my children's suitors, just as my mother did before me and her mother before her. Your father had to go through the same thing before he was able to court me."

"At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the modern world has no place for your old world traditions, mom. It's crude, it's barbaric, and it's the one of the reasons why I'm still single," Jacqueline grumbled sullenly. "And besides, from what you've told me, dad cheated during his trial. Grandma made him face a gauntlet of the tribe's best warriors, and he spiked his their meals with bowel destroying levels of laxatives, allowing him to win by forfeit."

Joanna suddenly became lost in dreamy reminiscence at the memory. "Da. He was really determined to have first date, and fast. Even if end result of his determination led to outhouse being repurposed into village's new fertilizer shed."

"Yes, mom. We've all heard this story before," Jacqueline deadpanned. "Look, why don't you go and prepare supper, while I handle the tour and evaluation. Because it's clear to me," she gestured over to Ruby, who looked paler than usual, "that they're quite shaken by your methods."

"But the trial has already begun. I crushed sacred medallion, now we must see it through to end."

Rolling her eyes, Jacqueline walked on over to a nearby display cabinet and pulled out one of the drawers. Inside the drawer were row upon row of the same medallion that Joanna had crushed earlier when invoking the sacred rite of courtship. She reached for one of the many medallions and placed it in her mother's hands.

"There, the rite has been reversed. Now go on," Jacqueline began dragging her mother into the hallway, muttering something amongst themselves in a foreign tongue. "Shoo, shoo. All of your children are going to be single forever if you keep this up."

"Fine, fine," Joanna conceded. "But don't think the evaluation is over yet. No son of my will be courted by some floozy."

"I'll handle it, mom. Just go and prep everything, I'll join you shortly."

With a turn of her nose, Joanna exited the room, and a great weight was lifted from everyone's shoulders. Ruby breathed a sigh of relief as she steadied her nerves while Yang came down from her adrenaline rush. Everyone collected themselves before gathering near Jacqueline, a host of questions rattling about in their mind. Her anxiety gone, an inquisitive Pyrrha stepped forth to break the ice.

"Thanks for that. For a minute I was worried we were in trouble." Jacqueline turned around and smoothed out her skirt, trying to look as orderly as possible.

"It's no problem," she smiled warmly. "I must apologize to you all. Mom's a tad old fashioned, in case you haven't already figured it out."

"Yeah, what was that all about?" asked Yang, scratching her head. "Never met anyone like her before."

"Mom's the matriarch of an old clan of hunters that live out in the northern shore of Atlas. They Parabolla were an isolationist tribe, close knit and the like, valued family above all else. Dad accidentally stumbled upon them during one of his annual fishing trip with his late friend Lync. One thing led to another, they got together, mom became the tribe's envoy of the modern world, and as they say, the rest is history."

"That would explain her archaic rituals and overprotective disposition," Weiss deadpanned.

"She means well, honest," Jacqueline blushed in embarrassment. "Though she has adjusted to modern living, there are things too near and dear for her to give up entirely," she chuckled to herself. "Besides, it's not like she was really going to hurt you."

"Really?" Blake raised an eyebrow. "Because it sounded like she was ready to turn us into kebabs."

"It was a simple stress test. Mom wanted to see if you were that committed to being with my baby brother. And from the look of it, only one of you succeeded," she turned to face Yang.

"Me?" Yang pointed to herself.

"Yup. For the time being, you're on the top of my mother's approval list. But, let's not get ahead of ourselves here," Jacqueline bowed politely, putting on her best smile. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am  _Jacqueline Arc_ , accountant extraordinaire, and eldest of the eight Arc children."

In a motion she had done hundreds, if not thousands of times before, she reached into her suit pocket and pulled over a small engraved metal business card holder. Flicking the small latch on the side of the holder, she flipped it open and expertly handed everyone a copy of her business card. The cards themselves were of professional quality. They were printed on a hard card stock with gold foil lettering, a crescent pattern, and a black matte finish.

* * *

**Arc & Co. Accountings**

" _Financial success is right around the Arc_ "

* * *

**Jacqueline Arc**

Proprietor

Cell - 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX

* * *

1431 Donremy Dr., Suite 100

Grandia, Vale, XXXXX

Main - 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX

Fax - 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX

* * *

Curiously enough, there was more on the back, printed in a smaller font.

* * *

" _We also specialize in refrigerator and air conditioner repair!_ "

* * *

"This is new," said Ruby, admiring the glossy surface of the card.

"Neat. Though, when would I ever need an accountant?" asked Nora.

"Oh, when  _wouldn't_  you need an accountant?" Jacqueline reasoned.

"Huh, convincing argument. Better hold onto this just in case then," Nora pocketed the card as everyone else did the same. "Well, anywho. Nice to meet you, Jacqueline, I'm Nora Valkyrie," she reached for Jacqueline's hand and shook it vigorously. "I'm a member of team JNPR. Jaune's my teammate and leader. The lovely redhead next to me is my friend and teammate, the Mistral champeen herself, Pyrrha Nikos."

"Hello there," Pyrrha cheerfully announced.

"Next to me is team RWBY. There's Ruby Rose, the team leader."

"Hi," Ruby waved.

"Her older sister Yang Xiao Long."

"Sup," Yang flashed Jacqueline a cocky grin.

"Blake Belladonna, who I just recently discovered is a Faunus."

"Your dad's my idol," Blake blurted out suddenly, earning a raised eyebrow from Jacqueline. Feeling her cheek burn with embarrassment, she quickly recovered from her little slip. "Uh, I mean, it's nice to meet you too."

"And lastly, the uptight heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, Weiss Schnee."

"A pleasure to meet one of Jaune's many, many sisters," Weiss replied politely before turning an indignant glare towards Nora. "And I am not uptight!"

"Coulda fooled me," Nora shrugged playfully.

"You are a particularly colorful bunch if I do say so myself. Reminds me of my sisters," Jacqueline folded her arms. "So tell me, how's Jaune doing? We were all pretty bent out of shape when he decided to leave for Beacon on his own, and he doesn't say much about what goes on there whenever he writes home." She looked solemn for a moment. "We're worried sick for him."

"You can breathe fine knowing that Jaune's doing great. He's the leader of his own team, he's got friends who stick out for him, and he's gotten better at fighting, well, better than when he started out," Pyrrha assured. "I mean, he had a bullying problem for a spell but ultimately he came out of it the better man."

"A bully? Oh, dear," Jacqueline frowned. "Well, I'm glad he managed to work it out, and that he's out there making friends, achieving his dream, but for future reference, please refrain from mentioning the bullying part to his other sisters. They're fiercely protective of him, and won't receive the news as well as I have."

"We'll be on our best behavior," Ruby nodded. "Anywho, while we're on this tour of your grand estate, think you can tell us a bit about Jaune? Like you said, he doesn't say much, especially about himself. It'd be nice if we knew something personal about him."

"Yeah, and maybe something embarrassing too!" Yang smirked. "Give us something juicy. I wanna rib him good after this trip is over."

"As his older sister I would be proud to do so!" Jacqueline beamed. "Would you like to see his baby photos too? There's one where he's sucking on his foot and..."

* * *

"A little lower, Glynda. Little more. Little more. Lit-tle more... Good! Now, a bit to the right."

"Grrr..."

"Oh, don't be like that, Glynda. We're almost done. Just a smidge more to the left. Little more, aaaaaand... perfect!" Ozpin smiled cheerfully as he took in the sight of the brand spanking new sign hanging over the doorway of the cafeteria.

It read in a cursive font:  _ **Chez Beacon**_. It was big, it was loud, but perhaps most importantly, it was incredibly cost efficient due to the fact that he had it commissioned by the school's art club. You could hardly tell that it was haphazardly thrown together in the span of a few hours by a group of aspiring young artists using nothing but balsa wood, baling wire, and paper mache.

"Well, what do you think?" Ozpin turned to Glynda, who had a frown on her face.

"I  _think_  that this was a gross misuse of my abilities, Ozpin," she growled.

"I meant about the sign, Glynda."

Glynda sighed. "It's... adequate, I suppose. Though I don't understand why it's even here to begin with. We've never needed one before."

"Haven't you figured it out already?" Ozpin took a sip of coffee from his favorite mug. "I'm turning the cafeteria in a fine dining restaurant."

"...Huh?" Glynda was nonplussed. "But, why?"

"Oh, it's just a little get rich quick scheme I, heh heh,  _cooked up_  while I was enjoying mister Arc's wonderful meal," he replied nonchalantly. "As you know, the recent brawl for love last week had left the practice rooms in shambles. Repair costs have been far greater than I had originally anticipated, and the funding we receive just doesn't cut it. If we don't find a way to raise money soon, we might have to start cutting certain amenities, or worse, staff members."

"So that is why, for however long that may be, I'm going to employ mister Arc as the head chef of Chez Beacon, and lure in wealthy patrons to help supplement our budget." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small leaflet. "Here, take a peek. I already have the menu all laid out." Glynda reached for the leaflet and scrutinized it. It was a plain white leaflet, with gold lettering in the same fashion as the sign.

She briefly glanced through the menu. It was split between three columns showcasing appetizers, entrees, and desserts, with a wide selection of wine and other drinks printed on the back. The meals presented to her ranged from simple dishes, like ratatouille and gourmet burgers, to extravagant and exotic creations, such crab stuffed lobster tails and sashimi made from the dreaded Vacuan deathadder served with it's still beating heart suspended in a glass of vodka.

And then Glynda finally noticed the pricing and nearly passed out from shocked. They were absolutely  _ludicrous_. The cheapest thing on the menu was the smothered frite, which went for an unreasonable fifty lien, while the most expensive one, an A5 kobe strip steak served with a caviar salad and micro potatoes, was priced at a whopping  _five hundred and eighty nine lien_... plus tax.

"O-Ozpin..." Glynda gulped, feeling a bit woozy. "You've lost your mind. Do you really expect people to pay for this?"

"Of course I do. After all, the prices here are paltry when you take into account the lifestyle of the rich and privileged. If the food is nothing short of exquisite, then people will pay just about anything," Ozpin smirked. "We'll make our funding back in no time, and then some."

"I'm still not entirely sure about this. What do you even know about running a restaurant? I mean, all we have going for us right now is the food and the tasteful decor. No servers. Not to mention that as it stands, we've got no real publicity on this ramshackled atrocity that you have the gall to call a fine dining restaurant. Do people even know about the existence of Chez Beacon outside of the academy?"

"Don't worry about it. I've got it all figured out. As for the servers..." Ozpin began to size up Glynda. "Say, what size are you?"

*Whap!*

"Guh!"

"Whatever you're thinking Ozpin, you'd best forget it if you wish to see the next sunrise," Glynda glared daggers at Ozpin, pulling back her riding crop. He gave her a sullen look, rubbing the sore spot on his cheek.

"Well, there goes that plan," Ozpin pouted. "Luckily, a good headmaster, slash, restaurateur, always has a backup for moments like these." He entered the cafeteria, motioning for Glynda to follow.

* * *

The school day had already ended, and the interior of the cafeteria was still crowded as it had been earlier that day. However, it had become especially suffocating now that word had spread of Jean-Luc's cooking. Elbow room was in short supply, and unfortunately, so was the food. The main perpetrator of this issue was none other than Professor Port himself, living up to his namesake as his waistband jumped up a few sizes in a mere matter of hours.

The man was a gluttonous behemoth. He had forego any sense of inhibition and indulged himself to the point of unconsciousness. He sat there with blank stare in his eyes before mounds of empty plates, bones picked clean of meat, and a veritable navy of gravy boats that sat in substitution of conventional beverages. To say that this paints an unflattering image of what would otherwise be an esteemed scholar and huntsman would be nothing short of an understatement.

But Ozpin was not there for his comatose colleague. He was interested in the trio relaxing in the corner. Ren, Sun, and Neptune had returned for another round of good food and good times now that it was after school, to which their friend, Jean-Luc, happily provided. They chatted, they laughed, Sun tried (and failed) to lick his own covered elbow for a dare. It was very much a typical guy's afternoon.

"Hello, boys!" he greeted, casually seating himself next to them. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"Nah, it's cool. We were just coming down from a laugh," Sun replied coolly, maneuvering his stationary arms around to give the headmaster more room.

"What brings you here, headmaster?" Ren inquired to the space beside Ozpin due to his lack of depth perception, causing the headmaster to peek over his shoulder to see what the boy was looking at. "It must be something special if you've come to visit us."

"It is," Ozpin turned back to face to the boys. "I've come to you three today with a unique proposal. Care to listen?"

"That depends," Neptune paused to stuff his mouth with a forkful of pasta, "ez id az inderesing az da foo ez?"

"I certainly hope so, because you three are crucial to a matter most dire. And please, mister Vasilias, don't talk with your mouth full. It's rude and unsanitary."

"Well, if it's that important, then shoot. What's the proposal?" said Sun.

"I'm glad you finally asked," Ozpin smirked. "First things first, let me get the legal stuff out of the way. I don't want to bore you with the details, but for reasons that are entirely legitimate, I have decided to convert a portion of the cafeteria into a fine dining restaurant. But in order to fully realize that goal, we require a handful of able bodied servers. Now, that's where you gentlemen come in. Are you interested in the position?"

"...You want us... to be waiters?" Ren spoke slowly. It sounded so bizarre when it was coming out of his own mouth.

"Wait, what was that about a restaurant again?" Sun asked, his eyebrow raised.

"No, no. Not waiters.  _Servers_ ," Ozpin corrected. "Waiters are wage slaves working nine to five for the man. We are Beacon Academy, we have class. And our school's restaurant, Chez Beacon, is no different. We only employ servers. So, how about it? You would be doing the academy a great service if you agreed."

"Yeeeeah, not happening."

"Nope."

"I would have to respectfully decline."

"...Please?" Ozpin tried again, his confident smirk shrinking into a sheepish grin.

"Nah."

"Uh, uh."

"Sorry. Not interested."

"... _Please_?" Ozpin's grin sank into a frown.

"Okay, headmaster. If it didn't work the first time, saying it differently won't either."

"Come on, boys. Do this humble headmaster a...  _solid_." Ozpin resorted to using the hip young folk slang, a sign of complete and utter desperation.

"...Ugh, fine," Sun relented, rolling his eyes. "But only if you promise us that you'll never use the word 'solid' in that context ever again. It makes you look like an old man suffering from dementia."

"You got it...  _dawg_." Ozpin's confident smirk returned full force.

"Please, stop. Just stop," Ren grimaced. "Before we actually do anything, why do you need us specifically? You said that you needed  _able bodied_  servers." He pointed to his sling. "In case you haven't noticed, we are anything but able bodied at the moment."

"Well, there's a reason for that. You see, I had to the intention to make Jean-Luc the head chef of the restaurant, and seeing how bizarre he's been acting lately, I think it would be best to pair him up with people close to him, in order to avoid any would be scandal should he choose to have another one of his curious episodes. A precautionary measure, if you will."

"You just want us to watch over him? But we're doing that already."

"Excellent!" Ozpin beamed. "You see, it works itself out. Now, can I expect you to follow through with this plan? You'll be compensated of course with an exceptional hourly wage as per the standards of a five star restaurant."

"Eh, I dunno," Sun looked unsure. "How much we talking here? If we're gonna do this, we wanna be properly motivated, you know?"

"Understandable," Ozpin nodded as he pulled out his scroll and began punching in numbers into the calculator app. "Let's see here, I have to take into account the price of ingredients as well..." After a few seconds, he appeared satisfied with his calculations and presented his offer to the boys. They all gather around the scroll, staring unblinkingly with wide eyes at the incredibly enticing number lit up upon the glowing screen of the scroll.

"And that's not counting tips," Ozpin added.

It was quiet around their table for a moment. Each of the boys stood stock still, an errant twitch present on one of their eyes.

After a few minutes, Sun, filled with the strength of ten gorillas, strained under his casts with great intensity before they ultimately gave way to his unfathomable might. The cast crack, and hissed under pressure until finally, Sun's glorious pythons were freed from their prison, free to bask in the warmth of the sunlight and swoon the hearts of women everywhere. He flexed, feeling his newfound strength overtake him as he ripped off the bandages around his abdominals. The world (or just Sun) rejoiced as his magnificent abs were once again out in the open for all to see.

In a similar vein, Neptune and Ren became empowered as well, ripping away their bandages and their splints to reveal their full and healthy forms. It was as if they never got beaten to a pulp by Jago to begin with.

"When do we start?" Neptune asked, to which Ozpin grinned in return.

"The dinner service begins at seven sharp. Prep begins at six, so report to Jean-Luc in the kitchen by then. Show up your uniform, and maintain a clean appearance. I'll explain everything else when you arrive. Until then, have a nice day. Oh, and if you would be as so kind as to relay the news to Jean-Luc as well, I'm sure he'd be glad to hear it."

"Certainly. We'll tell him right away," replied Ren.

"Keep that enthusiasm, you'll be needing it soon." Ozpin then stood up and said his farewells to the boys before returning to Glynda, who had been sitting idle near the teacher's table, staring in awe at Professor Ports comatosed status and occasionally poking at his mountainous gullet with her riding crop to gauge a reaction from him. She noticed Ozpin approaching the table and rose from her seat, taking note of the look of smug confidence scrawled on his face.

"I take it your search for servers went well?" said Glynda. Ozpin's grin grew wide.

"Swimmingly. Three able bodied servers, just in time for opening night."

"I must say, Ozpin, I underestimated you," Glynda sounded genuinely impressed.

"Tsk, tsk. Glynda, Glynda, Glynda. You know how I operate when it comes to deals. I handled it with tact, with subtlety, with nuance. I had it on lock from the moment I spoke with the boys."

"Did you now?" Glynda raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you didn't resort to slang when speaking with them?" it was subtle, but Glynda manage to spot Ozpin losing his composure for a split second. He collected himself and merely acted as if he pulled it off without using words like  _bodacious_ , and  _tubular_ , or  _radical_.

"Not at all."

"Somehow I don't believe that," Glynda rolled her eyes. "Regardless of you ' _kicking it old school_ ' with the students, have you notified mister Arc yet of your frivolous plan?"

"WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!" a loud cheer boomed from within the confines of the kitchen. "La vie est belle!"

Ozpin chuckles heartily. "Oh, I'm sure he knows."


	33. Sisterly Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jacqueline leads the girls to her sisters, and Jean Luc helps his friends become exemplary servers.

Jacqueline was practically a fountain of information that was overflowing with knowledge about Jaune. With an unprecedented level of enthusiasm and tenderness, she told them many things that only a sister would know; what his favorite food was, his most embarrassing moments, his deepest fears. It was described in explicit detail, and all the way through she wore and expression of pride and admiration upon her alluring visage.

Ruby and the others listened with rapt attention as Jacqueline went on and on about nearly every facet of her beloved baby brother's life.

How he was viciously attacked by a goose at the age of five over a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, earning him an innate fear of geese (and bike horns). How he tried drinking a glass full of eggs one day cause he saw a famous hunter do it on television and ended up puking his guts out in front of the toilet while Jonas doted on him. How he would clean Crocea Mors for hours at a time until it shone with the radiance of the sun in honor of his family.

Many of the things they learned put into context all of his, up until this point, unexplained behavior. They found themselves smiling, Weiss included, learning of Jaune's unusually quirky background while Yang found herself receiving plenty of juicy material to hold over his head, free of charge. As for Ruby, she made sure to record every single word that left Jacqueline's mouth down to the last syllable on a small notepad she'd brought specifically for the visit.

Jacqueline was amused, to say the least. When Ruby whipped out a notepad and started jotting everything down, she assumed she did so out of eagerness. In her head, she believed that Ruby was serious when it came to winning her brother's love, and made a mental note to take her diligence into consideration when citing approval to the others.

"There's more to be told but," Jacqueline gave the group a knowing smile, "I'll save those stories for the family photos."

"Oh, I'm sure we can wait," Yang grinned devilishly. "After all, patience is a virtue."

"Betcha they got a photo of cute baby Jaune running around in his birthday suit, wouldn't you say, Pyrrha?" said Nora, giving Pyrrha the ol' nudge nudge, wink wink.

Pyrrha nearly tripped over herself at Nora's words, stammering with her reply as she attempted to change the subject. "H-hey! Uh, er, about your sister?"

"Ah, yes! How could I forget that?" Jacqueline chuckled quietly. "It must've slipped my mind when I was telling the story of Jaune's first fishing trip with dad. Anywho, we're about to reach Jocelyn's room soon. We'll meet her in a bit."

"Jocelyn... Your dad mistaken me for her some time ago," said Blake, looking genuinely curious. "Granted, he was delirious from pain, suffered multiple blows to the head, and was bleeding to death... but, do I really look like her?"

"Hmm," Jacqueline paused in her steps, turning a cursory glance towards Blake. She pursed her lips and scrunched her brow, studying the Faunus girl in a way a scientist would hunched over a microscope. "You know, now that I really got a good look at you, you do look like the spitting image Jocelyn, albeit much shorter. Though, I'm not sure if you share her temperament."

"We're probably like fire and ice."

"Then I can say for certain that you are the ice to her fire," Jacqueline swiftly spins around and continues walking again, prompting the others to follow suit. But she did not conclude the conversation. "My sister is a meek but passionate soul. Kind and gentle, with a voice so soft you'd have to lean in to hear what she was saying. Out of all of us, she babied Jaune the most. Alas, she was also the one everyone picked on. An easy target for bullies."

"Right, Mr. Arc said something about that in his tale," said Weiss. "We just didn't know how severe the problem was."

"Oh, it was pretty bad," Jacqueline adopted a somber tone. "She was bullied for years because of her nature. There were many times where I, or my parents would have to intervene and ward off her aggressors. After some time, Jocelyn grew fed up with her treatment and eventually faced her bullies head on, ending their cruelty over her and becoming confident in her own abilities."

"That's pretty neato," said Ruby, making small side notes for each of Jaune's sisters. "There's nothing quite like overcoming challenges in life and becoming a better person because of it."

"Isn't that the truth?" Jacqueline reclaimed her chipper mood. "She currently works as an elementary school teacher in Grandia, and is beloved by all her students. Especially the boys."

"Works... as... elementary school... teacher..." Ruby muttered as she scribbles. "Prepubescent boys... like her... woman parts... Okay, got it."

"Oh, would you look at that, we're already here."

* * *

The group stopped in their tracks and took a brief moment to get acquainted with their new surroundings. The Arc household was so vast that the trip had landed them in an entirely differently wing of the home. Instead of the homely decor and cozy atmosphere, they were greeted with clean halls of white and homely periwinkle floral patterned wallpaper. There were few decorum, freshly watered potted plants mostly, but the ones that were present matched the theme of the hall tastefully.

The atmosphere was serene and relaxing, fitting for a woman with a gentle soul... Weren't it for the macabre effigy that hung in front of Jocelyn's door mucking up the theme, the girls could actually appreciate the setting in its entirety.

That...  _thing_ , was so out of place that everyone performed a double take to see if their eyes were working properly.

Hung upon the door that lead into Jocelyn's room was a grotesque mockery of a bouquet that looked like something straight out of a florist's nightmare. It was a collection of blackened tree branches arranged in a way that made it appear like it was blooming. Dangling on each end of the branches were  _human teeth_  of all sorts, putridly yellow and crusted with dry blood, like they were sadistically ripped straight from some poor fool's mouth with a pair of rusty pliers.

But the most sickening aspect of this disturbing amalgamation were the trio of disemboweled sewer rats that formed the bouquet's centerpiece. They reeked of the sickening scent of formaldehyde, preserving their corpses as they were frozen in time, giving the appearance that they were trapped in a forest of dread. One had its eyes gouged out, another was missing its lower jaw, while the remaining unfortunate rat had its ears seared away.

Weiss, Ruby, and Blake gagged at the sight, keeling over but otherwise maintaining their balance. Yang, Nora, and Pyrrha were each taken aback, a shiver running down each of their spines as they struggled comprehending the existence of such a repulsive sculpture. It was almost like a warning for sorts.

Unsurprisingly, Jacqueline was unaffected by it.

Without missing a beat, Jacqueline raised her hand and knocked on Jocelyn's door.

"...Come in," a soft voice responded from the other side. Eerily, the door unlocked with a loud click, and swung open as it elicited a loud screeching creak that echoed throughout the labyrinthine halls of the home. Stepping inside, the group stumbled upon a room that had been split right down the middle.

Half of the room was the familiar clean setting with cool hues and a flower motif. There was a wooden desk nearby stacked with freshly graded papers, several folders bursting at the seams with papers, and textbooks lined with numerous sticky notes and bookmarks. Beside it was a long bed that had been neatly made, the mounds of fluffy frilly pillows and crisp sheets could induce drowsiness just by looking at it.

The other half shared the organized aspect of the former, but held a much more slipshod appeal to it. For one, there were weapons everywhere, many of them makeshift junk, which hung in their designated spots on the wall, conveniently marked by a white outline. A complex workbench stocked with a large splintery crate full of rusty metal junk laid on one end of the room, next to an organized pile of baling wire, super glue, and rolls upon rolls of duct tape.

Hunched over the workbench, deftly tending to the creation of some crude mangled together contraption of agony that by all means should not function as it should, was the second eldest sister of the Arcs. The delicate flower of the family: Jocelyn Arc.

Putting her pet project on standby, Jocelyn spun around on her heels and graced everybody with her uncouth image, and an unnerving resting bitch face.

Jocelyn was very much a daughter of the Arcs, in that she inherited her mother's amazonian features. It goes without saying that she was absolutely towering, if a hair shorter than Jacqueline, had looks that could kill, and among other things, she appeared mighty strong.

But whereas Jacqueline was cleancut and formal, boasting a curvaceous silhouette that could make men slaves to her whims, Jocelyn boasted a more rugged appeal. Her body less curves and more soft angles, accentuating a lean powerful build rippling with pure muscle that was riddled with innumerable scars. Yet these scars did little to detract from her overall desirableness as Jacqueline had stated previously.

She wore punk-esque style clothing. Faded dark gray jeans, a white spaghetti strap tank top, and a form fitting two tone leather jacket that was predominately black with orange accents lined with an impressive number of pockets. The sleeves of the jacket were rolled up to her elbows, where hand wraps that coiled up her arm ended. A pair of studded fingerless leather gloves covered the wraps, granting further protection to the hands when it comes to cracking skulls.

Now we come to the part that everybody had been waiting for, and yes, Jocelyn did look very much like a taller, irate version of Blake. They shared the same facial shape, a cute little nose, and raven black hair, but that was where the similarities ended. Jocelyn's eyes were brown in color, and her hair, which went past her shoulders, was straight compared to Blake's own wavy locks. But perhaps notably, there was a long jagged scar that went from underneath her lips and up the cheeks, stopping just below her left eye.

The girls were left dumbfounded by the many odd similarities between Jocelyn and Blake, though that feeling was overshadowed by how threatening she looked. She had been constantly been referred to as a sweet demure gal that had been the unfortunate victim of bullying way back when. Almost no traces of that could be found in the post apocalyptic road warrior standing in front of them.

It does not help in the slightest that the whole time she'd been glaring at them as if they'd offended her in some way, exuding such a murderous aura that it became near impossible to breath properly in her presence. Whether or not she was doing it intentionally based on her resting bitch face was up in the air.

And then the damnedest thing happened.

"Jacqueline!" Jocelyn suddenly cheered. A bright smile like no other appeared on her scarred face, erasing the earlier scowl as if it didn't even exist in the first place. She and Jacqueline shared a heartfelt hug, easing away the pressure that was building up in the room. The two pulled away, sharing a quick chat in the same foreign language that Jacqueline had used when speaking with their mother. "You're home early today. What's the occasion?"

"Something very special, as you can very well see," Jacqueline gestured to the girls, "meet our baby brother's friends, fellow teammates, and perhaps most importantly, his suitors."

"Ah! So the rumors were true," exclaimed Jocelyn. "I thought about acting on those rumors, but got sidetracked instead by my craft."

"Sheesh, how quickly does news spread around here?" Yang whispered to Blake.

"In a tight knit family? Like wildfire," replied Blake.

"Shh!" shushed Weiss. "Quiet down you two, they're looking this way!" Yang and Blake immediately straighten themselves out as Jocelyn turned her attention from her sister to them. They each gave as fervent as a greeting as they could while trying not to sound forced, and hoped that whatever came next wouldn't be a repeat with Joanna.

"Oh, you are all so precious!" Jocelyn went and scooped up Ruby in a vigorous bear hug, an audible squeaking sound (most likely caused by her compressed lungs) was elicited from her thin frame in the embrace of powerful arms. Arms that were like tightly wound cords of steel wrapped in tough sinewy flesh. "To think any one of you could be my future sister-in-law fills me with such joy!"

"Huck!? Gah!" Ruby gasped, her vision growing darker with each passing second. "Sweet Monty, she's like an roided out ox!"

"Now, now, Jocelyn. It's far too early think about in-laws," said Jacqueline.

"I know, but it's best to plan for the future. As an exceptional accountant, you of all people should know that," replied Jocelyn, releasing Ruby as the poor girl fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, frantically breathing in precious oxygen that her lungs had been deprived of.

"Now, who's next for a hug?"

* * *

Weiss blanched at the question, growing even paler than her usual complexion, and roughly grabbed Yang, positioning her in front of her so that she may delay the bone crushing display of affection. In turn, Yang grabbed Blake, who reacted by grabbing Pyrrha, who responded by grabbing Nora, who in turn reached for the air. Nora could only whimper in terror as Jocelyn crept towards her with open arms, a sweet smile on her face that felt almost sinister underneath.

"Er, you know, I'm all for female bonding and everything, but that could easily be accomplished with a simple handsha- Hurk!" Jocelyn's arms enveloped Nora, and she immediately understood Ruby's pain "Good golly girl! Do you bench press the freeway or something!? Gwaaaaah!" And so she continued in down the line.

Next was Pyrrha,

"Dah! I-I mean, i-it's nice to m-meet you t-too."

Then Blake,

"Mereooow! Er, u-um. E-excuse me..."

...Yang,

"Wah! Holy sh-aaaaaah!"

And finally, Weiss,

"Whycan'twejusthaveacasualconversationinstead! Ack!"

"Jaune is truly blessed to have such terrific friends!" Jocelyn smiled warmly. "I do hope we can all get along."

"We'd... *wheeze* we'd like that very much," Ruby croaked, grinning weakly. She gave herself a moment's reprieve, along with everyone else, to collect themselves after nearly being split in two. "So, Jocelyn. It's nice to finally meet the delicate flower of the family. Boy, you are strong. Like, crazy strong. Wow."

"Thank you," she giggled, "I work out."

"Evidently..." Weiss murmured beneath her breath. "I've got to inquire about that. Why are you so, so, er..."

"Ripped?" said Yang.

"Jacked?" Nora added.

"Chiseled?" noted Blake.

"I was going to say robust, but I guess those words describe you perfectly as well. Aren't you an elementary school teacher?"

"I am. It's my day job. But that doesn't mean I neglect exercise," replied Jocelyn.

"This... goes beyond the average school teacher. Could you elaborate on that?" Pyrrha asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course. During the day, I teach at the local elementary school. I teach many subjects; mathematics, language arts, junior horticulture, the children love that one, and social studies, just to name a few."

"Awesome," Ruby flashed Jocelyn a curt thumbs up.

"And in my free time, I would occasionally be contracted to hunt down gangers."

"Um, what?" Weiss tilted her head at that.

"Gangers." Jocelyn repeated. "You know, gangsters? Contractors around the globe would hire me out to deal with threats that required a... unique set of skills."

"Whoa, no wonder you're built like a dump truck of hurtin," Yang blinked.

"I've got to be in peak physical condition where I go, and who I deal with."

"But even the lowliest thug can be felled with ease," said Weiss. "They're just uncouth miscreants who think they can act tough and assert their authority over others because they've got a weapon and a pair of sagging pants. Why go to these lengths?"

"...I-I'm sorry, I don't understand the question," Jocelyn looked nonplussed.

"Jocelyn, gangers are too specific of a term," Jacqueline piped up. "You deal with more than just gangsters, you deal with criminals of all stripes."

"Oh! My apologies. Yes, it's true. I hunt down criminals. Some of the time they're street level thugs, other times I'd have to confront a bandit hive in the wilds, the occasional Grimm incursion, and for the more serious threats, armed terrorists." The girls' eyes grew wide as dinner plates at the aforementioned threats. It's a wonder she still finds the time, and have a saint's patience, to deal with screaming grade schoolers. "I guess you can say that I moonlight as an enforcer of sorts."

"So, um, do you do this job on school nights?" Pyrrha asked out of the blue.

"Goodness, no!" Jocelyn exclaimed. "That would irresponsible. I usually keep to weekends and holidays. My teaching job always comes first. Although, I would have to call in a substitute from time to time after catching a terrible cold..."

"Uh huh..." Ruby nodded dumbly. "As an add-on question, does your enforcer role have anything to do with that gadget of yours on the workbench over there?" Jocelyn lit up like a light bulb at the question. She clapped with childlike glee as she rushed on over to the workbench and presented to everyone her contraption.

"I'm glad you asked that, small Ruby," Jocelyn grinned. "This is the tool my trade, the first thing that I ever made: Ryba Fugu!"

Ryba Fugu was a small pair of vambraces armed with a set of retractable blades and various other oddities visibly tacked on and underneath its surface. However, unlike the girls' own weapons, which were aesthetically pleasing, Ryba Fugu was quite rough to look at.

Ryba Fugu was crafted using recycled metal from multiple sources of undetermined origin. Hammered, welded, and shaped into its crude form with little care for a particular design philosophy other than 'it just works'. The multiple overlapping plates of metal protected the user's forearms from physical trauma, and was fitted quite snugly. Built into it was a simple set of trigger mechanisms that allowed Jocelyn to protract and retract the blades.

Although, calling them blades is a bit of a misnomer.

The 'blades' were an odd assortment of various objects bundled together, many of which excelled far better at piercing and tearing than slashing. There were large injector needles, disposed medical scalpels, sharpened lengths of piping (some nickel plated and others rusted to the point of being a vector for tetanus), reinforced crossbow bolts with broadpoint arrowheads, and fishing harpoons.

But perhaps the most sadistic aspect of the weapon lied in its secondary function. Staying true to the dual nature of weapons in this universe, Ryba Fugu's unique function was its series of vials and pneumatic pumps that, when activated, coated the blades in all manners virile concoctions. The liquids sloshed about in their containers. The clear ones were deceptively mundane, while the many colorful and almost glittery fluids were highly disconcerting.

If it wasn't clear before, than it was by now that Ryba Fugu was not a weapon of precision, nor is it a weapon of subtlety. It is an instrument of  _fear_ , used to terrorize and demoralize those unfortunate enough to warrant Jocelyn's services. It could rend flesh off the bones, and send waves of torturous pain rippling throughout the body as the various poisons slicked across the blades' surface shut down vital organs and cause muscle spasms so violent...

"...People could snap their own spine in half from the trauma. I've seen it happen a few times before. Makes criminals think twice about doing anything illegal or stupid... or both" concluded Jocelyn, as she so eloquent described in colorful detail all the nuances of her instrument. As evident by the disturbed looks of her peers, perhaps her description was too colorful. Nevertheless, she took it all in stride and showed the rest of her other gear.

In order of right to left on the wall, there was a large bear trap rigged with a nail bomb, a bandoleer stocked with frail looking ceramic knives, an unhealthy number of homemade explosives assembled from everyday materials, a sizable black attache case labeled 'POISONS - DO NOT INGEST', a meat hook attached to its respective chain, and a spiked aluminum baseball bat covered in dynamite that was held firmly in place with barbed wire.

"...That last one's for the worst criminals, or for people I really don't like. Whichever comes first," Jocelyn said with a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders.

"Er..." the girls have moved beyond disturbed at this point, over the hill and into the lands of 'this lady has some serious problems and I should do everything within my earthly powers to stay on her good side no matter what, lest my doctor ask me how I ended up with baseball bat lodged squarely in my skull.'

"Now, are there anymore questions?" Jocelyn inquired, remaining positively chipper throughout the visit.

"O-oh... H-how about this?" Yang gathered the nerve to divert the conversation to a lighter note. "How's your relation with Jaune?" At the mention of her baby brother, the girl lit up like a light bulb.

"Oh, I used to dote on him when he was young. We used to play games, read scary stories, and run through the park together all the time. I was... really protective of him. I mean, all his sisters cared for him, but I always went the extra mile to keep him safe. Mostly because I was so meek and a magnet for trouble." Jocelyn's expression became downcast for a moment. "But when those punks went after my brother, I..."

Jocelyn's hand curled into a tight fist until her knuckles popped and went white. Horrid memories flashed through her head in rapid succession. She heard crying, mocking laughter, and screams as her fists began trembling. "...I stopped being a doormat." She sighed heavily, calming herself down. "It's hard to remember. I'm sorry you had to see me like that." She grinned sheepishly.

"It's no problem," said Blake. "It just shows you care for Jaune." While Jocelyn's small break in character was unsettling, and the implications even more so, her big sister instincts was an admirable part about her. "Say, have you ever been contracted to go after a group called the White Fang?"

"Oh? You mean the ones on the news?" Jocelyn raised a brow. "Oddly enough, no, I have not."

"Personally, I think it's for the best that the White Fang have never had to deal with Jocelyn. It'd honestly take all the drama out of things," Nora whispered discreetly to Ruby.

"What? Nah, I'm pretty sure there's some deeper reasoning behind this," Ruby whispered back.

"I was told in a very specific manner from a bunch of stuffy looking men that the White Fang were strictly a government matter, and that my services were not required. It's not too bad. There are plenty of other employers out there who have need for my unique set of skills."

"Ah, so it's politics then," Weiss nodded. "If I had to assume, some bigwigs in office see you as a threat to their competency. Rather than request the aid of an efficient professional such as yourself, they'd rather shut you out completely and tackle the issues themselves, hogging all the glory and garnering the public's approval if they succeed."

"Meh, if that's why then all power to them. I'm not in it for the glory, I just don't like bullies," Jocelyn stated with folded arms, her murderous glare returning for a split moment. "Plus, getting paid to put the fear of god into every snaggletoothed cretin I come across is merely an added bonus, and a great way to supplement my income."

"Someone knows what's up," Yang quipped.

"My, my. Look at you all, fraternizing as if you'd already known each other for years," Jacqueline piped up. "But, I'm afraid I have to cut this meet and greet short, Jocelyn. We must be going. There's the matter of dinner, our five other sisters, and I still have to lead this tour. I'm sure you understand."

"Oh, of course, of course. Please, don't let me keep you any longer," Jacqueline smiled brightly, and gave each of the girls a very enthusiastic farewell handshake as a sign of her good faith. While it was nowhere near the level of her heartfelt hug, the vigorous shaking and her vice-like grip left out heroines' hands throbbing and numb. "It has been an absolute pleasure meeting everyone, and I look forward to having dinner with you all."

"Y-yeah, back at ya," Yang grinned sheepishly.

"It's..." Weiss put on her best smile, "nice to know that someone like you works so tirelessly, yet carries such zeal for her occupation. Perhaps if you were to ever find yourself around Atlas, maybe you can make a stop by the Schnee Dust Corporation main headquarters for a business opportunity."

"Wait, you're that Weiss Schnee!? As in Weiss Schnee, heir apparent to the Schnee Dust Corporation?" Jocelyn looked aghast.

"Uh, yes. I, ahem, I assumed you knew that. I mean, are there any other people out there with the last name Schnee?"

"Well, no. I guess not," Jocelyn brought a hand to her chin. "But... you look a tad different from the poster Jaune has in his room."

"...Excuse me?" Weiss's smile flipped into a frown.

"That's right. Jaune does have a poster of you," said Jacqueline. "He hangs it on his closet door, next to shelf with all his other toys."

"Ignoring those details for a moment..." Weiss mumbled, "what do you think of my offer? Imagine it. We'll provide you with all kinds of benefits, from medical to financial, and you'll be able to have access to some of the finest equipment that the Schnee Dust Corporation and the Atlas military have at their disposal. With our cooperation, you'd needn't rely on such barbaric tools to terrorize ruffians. You'd be using sleek and efficient dust powered weaponry."

"Hmm, it is a nice offer, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to politely decline," said Jocelyn. "I'm perfectly happy with my arrangements as they are, and no offense to the many fine products of the Schnee Dust Corporation and its subsidiaries, but I don't feel comfortable using anything other my own tools. Perhaps you'd have better luck with our other sisters."

"That depends. Do your other sibling wish to find work with one of the most prestigious companies in Remnant?" asked Weiss.

"Why don't we go and find out?" Jacqueline suggested. "Come now, daylight's burning. We must remain punctual if we're going to make it to dinner. And believe me when I say you don't want to miss any of mom's home cooking."

With that said, the girls steadily filed out of the room, waving goodbye to Jocelyn. But as Jacqueline was about to leave, she felt a hand grab onto her shoulder. Turning around, she addressed Jocelyn who had stopped her for a moment.

"Say, sis. I didn't want to say anything because I thought it'd be rude, but I found it kind of funny," Jocelyn started. "It might just be a weird coincidence but... don't you think that Ruby girl looked like a shorter version of me?"

"...I mean," Jacqueline paused, pursing her lips, then bringing a hand up to her mouth to stifle her giggle, "if she had black hair, then yes, she does."

* * *

"Well, Jocelyn was... nice," Pyrrha began, breaking the awkward silence that had hung over the group for nearly five minutes since they departed from Jocelyn's room. Each of them gave their own sign of acknowledgement, either nodding, grunting, or making an uncomfortable gesture of sorts. Jocelyn was indeed the kind and affable person as Jacqueline had described, it just came as a bit of a shock to everybody seeing her personality coupled with that of a sadist.

"Now I know why Jacqueline told us to keep it on the downlow about Cardin and his cronies," Yang whispered to Blake. "If Jocelyn ever found out, those guys would be spending time in the intensive care unit."

"More like the morgue." Blake shuddered.

"Oh, wait! I finally got it!" Nora suddenly exclaimed, a knowing grin spread across her features. "That was just another test, right?"

"What do you mean?" asked Jacqueline, raising her eyebrow.

"You know what I'm talking about. Your sister, that scary bouquet, her whole act about horrifically disemboweling criminal scum in front of their friends. It's exactly like with your mom earlier. That was the whole point, wasn't it?"

"Um, no. It was not," she deadpanned.

"Oh, you kidder," Nora gave Jacqueline a playful nudge to the arm. "You were in on the whole thing, weren't you?"

"I still don't know what you're talking about."

"Heh, heh, heh... heh... heh..." Nora chuckled nervously, her grin slowly faded away with her jovialness as she swallowed the lump forming in her throat. "Oh, you're serious. Ahem, forget what I said."

Almost immediately after Nora's great epiphany, the group came across the room of the next sibling. The door leading to the third eldest sister of the Arcs was situated in a glossy eggshell white hallway draped with gaudy red velvet curtains and gilded chandeliers. The light from outside refracted off the chandeliers' many decorative glass prism dangling delicately beneath the metal frame, creating a devilishly harsh glare that made it difficult to see properly.

"Jeez, what is with all the flash?" Blake groaned, screwing her eyes shut. "You can't look around without a beam of light stabbing you in the eye."

"This is Jenivieve's room, lemme just..." inching forward little by little, Jacqueline reached through the air, squinting, feeling against the wall until she felt what was the discernible form of a doorbell. With a push and one overly jubilant chime, the door swung wide open by itself, creating a shield against the glare and eliciting several sighs of relief from the girls. "Alright, let's go and say hi to Jenivieve."

With slight trepidation, the girls marched through the doorway and into an inky blackness that contrasted heavily with the blinding hallways. This was Jenivieve's room, a void-like realm of indiscernible nothingness as far as they eye could see, and if their experience with this circus of a family has taught them anything thus far, it's that they haven't the slightest clue as to what she is like...

* * *

Roman Torchwick was not a happy man. Even though he'd been free from his bondage, and was currently laid back against a lawn lounger with an ice cold pina colada in hand, the unsightly bandage stuck across his nose was a constant reminder of his failings back in the caverns. He grumbled several curses beneath his breath before taking a long swig of his beverage, all the while Neo stood beside him with a mischievous smirk plastered across her face.

He was currently hiding out in an underground bunker at an undisclosed location somewhere far out in the Valean wilds, smackdab in the middle of the harsh wilderness and migrating hordes of voracious Grimm. This safehouse was more or less a relic from one of Remnant's previous wars, forgotten to the ages but had been commandeered up until recently by Cinder Fall and the White Fang for their clandestine operations.

After getting busted and subsequently busted out, the con man slash amateur criminal mastermind gathered what little could be recovered from the hijacked police transport, be it functioning equipment or able bodied lackeys, and hightailed it to the closest safehouse they got. From there, he was going to simply lay low and let the heat die down before getting back to work.

Or at least that was the plan hadn't one very disappointed femme fatale decided to butt in on his business and gave him a very persuasive ultimatum. While he was thankful no one got incinerated into a smoldering pile of ash (this time at least), getting humiliated in front of everybody put a dent in his ego, and spurred him to challenge Cinder's condescending remarks, against his better judgement.

His given task was simple, build up what they had loss in the allotted time frame, or suffer the fiery consequences.

Contrary to what had transpired, the debacle at the Vale mountain range was but a minor setback. The authorities have underestimated just how large the White Fang were as an organization, and believe that all was said and done when he was captured that night several days ago. But the White Fang are without number, spread out across the entire globe, hidden amongst the facets of everyday life.

Building up what they had lost after that fateful encounter with a certain band of meddling kids shouldn't be difficult with their resources, but it was the fact that he had bit down hard on the obvious bait dangling right in front of him without so much as a second thought that left him in such a sour mood. Cinder knew exactly how to push his buttons, and he absolutely loathed her for that.

Which was where he found himself now, weaseling his way out of his responsibilities by letting the mooks do the work while he 'supervised' them from the comfort of his lounger. He took another long swig from his glass, emptying it, trying his best to ignore the smug grin radiating from his partner.

"...The hell are you smiling about?" Roman grumbled in annoyance.

"Oh, nothing," Neo shrugged, playfully twirling her parasol in her hand. "You know, none of this would've happened if you'd gone and followed the plan like we were suppose to. But you had to go and do things your way. If it weren't for me, you'd still be on that transport ship heading for the big house."

"Thank you for the recap oh great omniscient one," Roman drawled sarcastically as his frown intensified. "Perhaps with your all seeing eye, maybe you can determine that I'm in desperate need of a refill." He raised his glass and gently shook it, the malformed ice cubes rattling within. Neo merely rolled her eyes, signalling that she will do no such thing. "Tch, some partner you are."

With a low grunt, Roman set the glass down and turned to the lone figure peering from the corner of his eyes, leering as he did so. The figure was tall, slim, and relaxed, dressed in an immaculate black suit with his arms crossed. A sheathed sword rested by his hip, its purpose denied until the moment is right.

"And what about you!" he shouts. "I don't think I like the way you watch over my shoulder all ominous like in that shadowy corner of the room,  _Adam_."

"Tsk, you know why I'm here," replied the figure, the edge of his white mask gleamed with what little light was present. "And in case you've forgotten, it's to make sure you don't screw up again. The authorities have been on high alert ever since your associate set you free. It has made things... difficult, for us. Frankly, if I had my way with it, I'd have left you to rot in a cell at the ends of the earth. I don't understand how Cinder finds value in a greedy cretin like you."

"Because despite my screwups, I can still get things done," Roman sharply retorted, his frown ebbed into a sly smirk. "There's a reason why I'm still in charge of this operation, and why you're just another flunky with a fancy sword and a nice suit around here." The figure flinched for a moment, his grip tightening around his arms. However, he was not so easily taunted as Roman was and kept his cool.

"This 'flunky' can kill you ten times overs before you hit the ground." Adam scowled subtly.

"Sure, whatever you say, boy. Doesn't change the fact you're just another cog in the machine, and I'm the operator. By the way, those punk kids that thwarted me, your old buddy was a part of them. What's her name... Blair?" Adam visibly tensed up at the name, incorrect as it was but familiar, clearly displeased at the mention of a traitor. "Say, didn't you two use to be an item?"

"I've never been associated with a traitor of that name," Adam muttered. Technically, he wasn't wrong. "Hmph, this is all a waste of breath. Just get those resources. But by all means, please, fail your given task. It'll give me something to do." He relaxed himself and turned to leave, disappearing into the shadows as ominously as he appeared.

"Tsk, idiotic kid. Just a little boy with a fancy butter knife and too much anger..." Roman muttered, turning his eye to the still empty glass in his hand. "And can someone give me a damn refill! Sheesh, gotta do everything myself around here!"

* * *

Jenivieve's room felt absolutely cavernous. The room was enveloped in total darkness, giving the false impression of endless depth, whilst the echoing clatter of shoes upon solid flooring expanded on that thought. Each step the girls took was a chance, and it sent a shiver running down their spine. Weren't it for Jacqueline's calm demeanor lightening the dreary atmosphere, its effect would be far greater than it already was.

Without warning, a series of long curtains drew open one by one before the girls, illuminating everything and unveiling the whole of the room in its entirety to the guests indoors.

It was an art studio.

The floor of the room were wood paneling of a rich dark brown color. The walls, simple red brick and gray mortar, formed an unusually entrancing gradient as one end of the wall started off light and the other ended dark. Both, however, had a fair amount of paint splattered across it. A great window made up the entire back wall of the room, draped with blackout curtains that did wonders at smothering light, and providing a wonderful view of Grandia's rolling hills and vibrant flower fields off in the distance.

Of course, no art studio with be complete without the proper equipment. Several easels and work tables were situated throughout the room in no particular order, some were vacant, while others had half completed artwork just laying there. Pencils, paint pots, brushes, sketchbooks, canvas, wet clay, and sculpting tools were a part of the madness, strewn atop every surface imaginable in every which way.

Numerous works of art, abstract paintings, disturbingly (though possibly unintentional) phallic looking sculptures, and impressively detailed figure drawings, most likely created by Jenivieve, added on to the increasingly dizzying mess of a room.

"Huh, neat," said Ruby, silently admiring all the art.

"Ugh, this place is a mess," Weiss commented with a grimace, shying away from a still wet puddle of grass green paint. "How can Jenivieve live like this?"

"I ask myself that question everyday," Jacqueline resigned with a heavy sigh.

"Uh, duh. She's clearly an artist, and this is her studio," said Nora, smirking. "Everything, right down to messy splatters of the walls, has a purpose. And if there's anything I know about personal space-"

"Or lack thereof," Pyrrha inwardly quipped, cracking the smallest of grins.

"-it's that we draw our motivation from it," Nora concluded with a proud nod.

"Wow," Yang blinked. "Who are you and when did you replace Nora in the dark?"

"Sorry, Yang. It's still the same old me." Nora placed a hand on her hip. "Think about it, if your room was out of whack, wouldn't it affect you?"

"While the logic is sound, the ethic doesn't hold up," Blake added. "Anywho, since we're on the subject of Jenivieve's room, where is Jenivieve anyway?"

"That's strange," Jacqueline placed a finger on her lips. "I had expected her to be here. Those curtains couldn't have opened by themselves, you know?"

"Maybe she went to the bathroom?" Ruby guessed. "She could be freshening up for guests."

"If that's the case, how about we let her take her time," Yang suggested. "In the meantime, I wanna check out all this cool stuff."

As Jacqueline mulled on the whereabouts of her missing sisters, the rest of the girls took the liberty of examining all the bizarre art surrounding them. Though, only a few of them abided by the unspoken law of 'look, don't touch'. Surprisingly, that someone was Blake, of all people.

There was one piece of art in particular that had captured her curiosity. Sitting in the center of the room, resting atop a large swirling blue pillow mound was a sculpture of a painted mannequin depicting a beautiful woman held down with gilded chains.

It was titled:  _Addicted to Pain_.

The woman was resting in a kneeling pose, her head hanging low and her hands chained together behind her back. She wore a blindfold and had long golden blonde hair styled in a large ring that was held with a rectangular clip. From the neck down, her body was messily painted with a mind numbing amount of bright and dull colors, as if it were carelessly splashed and splattered upon it without so much as a second thought from Jenivieve.

But the piece that tied it all together were the chains. They were long gold metal chains of about one tenth of an inch thick, polished to a degree that it shone like the sun. They were tightly coiled around her, and was anchored to the ground with a number of latches and mismatched carabiners. Each chain had a ribbon looped through it that was labelled with a the name of a vice. Among them, there was drinking, gambling, and adultery, just to name a few.

To Blake, the piece was, as she believed good art should be, thought provoking. A blinded woman of sinful beauty held down by vice, depicted through gilded chains, her inner turmoil made obvious to all, the paint on her body. Blake liked it, it was a wonderful piece that provided social commentary on the dangers of uninhibited overindulgence. That being said, there was something off putting about it...

"Hmm..." Blake furrowed her brow in thought.

"What's up, Blake?" Pyrrha asked, standing beside the Faunus. "Did the art get you thinking?"

"I already did that," Blake replied with a wave of her hand. She leaned closer to the mannequin, scrutinizing its lifelike details. Details so close to the uncanny valley. "Pyrrha, tell me. Have you ever seen a mannequin this real? It almost looks like a living breathing person."

"No, I haven't," Pyrrha tilted her head, observing the piece. They both stared at the mannequin intensely, Blake absentmindedly reached out to touch it... And then it twitched. Taken aback by the sight, the two took a few step back. Frightened by the innocuous action, they subconsciously reached for their weapons. Only when they were grabbing at air did they remember that they were still back in their respective lockers. This kerfuffle grabbed the others' attention. "Um, did that mannequin just..."

"I-I..." Blake rubbed at her eyes. "No. It's probably just my eyes playing tricks on me..."

"Are you sure about that?" A voice from out of the blue sent a shock through their systems. It was made only worse when the woman suddenly turned its head to blindly face its viewers. Stoic Blake and composed Pyrrha both let out a yelp as they furiously backpedalled to the rest of their friends. Nora, Yang, Weiss, and Ruby were perturbed at the sight, the latter being the most fearful of the bunch.

"I-is everyone seeing the same thing I am?" Yang questioned, earning several nods in return.

"Nonononono! I know where this is going!" Ruby quickly hid behind Weiss. "First the mannequins come to life, then the walls will begin to flake apart and reality warps to become our own personal nightmarescape, where our innermost demons take physical shape and hunt us down as punishment for our sins! I can't deal with this kind of thing right now!"

"Ruby, what on Monty's great green earth are you going on about?!" Weiss cried, backing up into Ruby.

The tight chains coiled around the woman's body and arms began to unravel themselves, despite being anchored by latches on the floor. They jingled and clinked together before slipping effortlessly off her body, collapsing onto the pillow in a pile. She slowly rose up from her place on the pillow, almost mechanically so, and stood at full height in a relaxed pose. Bringing her hands up, she undid the blindfold around her head and let it slip down, revealing emerald eyes glimmering with an otherworldly mystique.

It was then that all the tension that had built up to the big reveal came to head when it finally dawned on them just who the mysterious mannequin woman was. Pyrrha was the first to break the ice.

"Er, Jenivieve, I presume?"

* * *

Sun, Ren, and Neptune sat by the newly established waiting area on the other half of the cafeteria, their bellies fat and full of wondrous food. The restaurant half of Chez Beacon had yet to open, and prep wasn't for another few hours. But after getting properly motivated by Professor Ozpin, they decided to show some initiative and get some practice in, seeing as they had little to no experience in the matter.

Fortunately, Jean-Luc had everything in the kitchen running like clockwork, allowing him to lend his aid to friends. Alongside him was Ozpin and Oobleck. Port would've joined them, if it weren't for the fact that he was still in a food coma, to which Glynda was becoming increasingly concerned about. Nevertheless, Ozpin took charge of the impromptu lesson and pushed for the same level of enthusiasm he'd expect from budding young hunter.

In a few hours, members of the upper class would be dining in these very halls, their wallets stuffed to the folds with money. He needed to whip these boys into shape, so that could bring home the proverbial bacon and help to remedy Beacon's financial woes once and for all.

"Alright, boys," Ozpin began, twirling his cane jubilantly. "The dinner service begins in about three hours, and prep in two. In two hours, Jean-Luc, Oobleck, and I are going to teach you about the etiquettes of fine dining service. You will learn how to swiftly take orders, stride through a hectic environment, and entertain the guests so that they may consider more... profitable options. You will also have the menu memorized, among other things."

"I'll tell you now, our guest list has a number of established men and women joining us. CEOs, politicians, diplomats, dignitaries, and celebrities, just to name a few. They know of Beacon's reputation as the academy that produces the finest batch of next generation hunters, and we will show them that we are no slouch in the world of fine dining. So, let's give it our all... and grub as much money as we can from wealth patrons!" He raised his fist in a cheer, prompting others to join in with him. "For Beacon!"

"For Beacon!"

Somewhere in the background, Glynda Goodwitch watched with mild amusement. As wacky as this whole scenario had become, she must admit, watching Ozpin go to great lengths to secure the academy's financial status made for quite the show. She didn't approve, mind you, but none of this was illegal per se, and it was all for the academy and those who went there, be it for business or for education. She would let it slide, just this once.

"Now, let's get down to business." Ozpin pointed his cane towards Sun. "Mister, Wukong. This incredibly wealthy bikini supermodel here, played by our very own Dr. Oobleck," Dr. Oobleck waved back enthusiastically, "will be the customer of this mock scenario. Your job as a server is simple. Write down her order, suggest a number of extras, be it a selection of wine or hor d'oeuvres, and return to mister Arc for the next step. Can you do that?"

"Sounds easy enough," replied Sun, cracking his knuckles.

"Alright, begin." Ozpin gave the signal.

Sun sauntered up to the situational bikini supermodel with a cocky strut that made the others raise an eyebrow at him, carrying his usual attitude with him. Upon approaching the customer, he pulled out the notepad that was given to him.

"Good evening, ma'am. Welcome to Chez Beacon, may I start you off with an appetizer?" Sun began. So far, so good. Ozpin nodded in approval. Opening with hor d'oeuvres was always a good move.

"Hmm, I would like the bruschetta plate served with a side of deathadder sashimi," replied Oobleck in a high pitched voice that sounded like a cross between a fork scratching a ceramic plate and wailing cat with its testicles caught in a vice. It was off putting for everyone watching, nearly breaking Sun's composure from the sound alone. "For the entree, I'll have the filet mignon served medium rare, and th-"

It was too much. Oobleck never got a chance to finish his order before Sun exploded into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. The poor boy buckled over, clutching at his stomach, unable to take his teacher seriously with his whacked out voice.

"P-pfft, bwuhahahaha!" Sun bellowed. "Good golly, man. You sound like a screaming goat in a shouting contest with an angry frog!"

"How dare you!" Oobleck retorted in faux outrage, still speaking with that ludicrous voice of his. "I'll have you know that I have the voice of an angel, skin smoother than a baby's bottom, and breasts to die for!"

"Girl, let me tell you, you make modern art look sensible," Sun continued, throwing gas on to the raging fire he started. "I've seen Grimm that look better than you."

"Why, I never!" Oobleck shot out of his seat and started walking away. His hands were up by his collar bone, and he strode with a butt shaking waddle to sell his bikini model persona. "This restaurant has terrible service, I've never been more insulted in my life! You can expect a scathing review from me."

When Sun finally calmed down and regained his senses he was hit full force with the realizations of his actions.

"Uh, oops." Sun smiled sheepishly.

"Uh, oops, indeed, mister Wukong," said Ozpin, frowning.

"Well, that couldn't have gone worse," Neptune quipped, smirking at his friend.

"Felicitations, mon ami. You just, eh, ran off about six hundred lien at minimum," said Jean-Luc, flashing the boy a sarcastic thumbs up. "Ze goal of ze servers est to make sure zey pay in ze end, qui?"

"And you wonder why you haven't already swooned Blake with that attitude of yours," Ren joked, a ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Lay off, guys," Sun grunted sullenly. "Come, on. If you were in my spot, you'd laugh your ass off too if the 'bikini supermodel,'" he used air quotes, "sounded like a hyena on helium and looked like Dr. Oobleck."

"The goal of a  _simulated scenario_ , mister Wukong, is to  _simulate_  a  _scenario_ ," Ozpin interjected. "Which means that even if Dr. Oobleck did sound like a trash compactor with a fork stuck in it, you are suppose to treat it as if it were really happening, as if there really was an incredibly wealthy bikini supermodel attempting to make her order." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"But hindsight's twenty twenty. Looking back on it now, perhaps making Dr. Oobleck act out a woman was not the best thing to do." Ozpin turned to his friend. "No offense, Bart."

"None taken!" Oobleck replied. "And for the record, if I was that woman, I'd have an hourglass figure, moderately sized breasts, and a round buttocks so plump you could bounce a coin off of it. All of which, mister Wukong, had driven away, losing out on potential customers who would dine here just to catch a glimpse of me and all of my womanly glory."

"An excellent point, Bart." Ozpin nodded in agreement, turning back to face Sun. "So as you see, mister Wukong, your actions had the unintended side effect of negative publicity, something we cannot have in our restaurant. The last thing we need is a PR nightmare to deal with alongside mentions of terrible service."

"Ugh, I get it," Sun grumbled, running his hand down his grimacing face.

"Don't be so down, you'll get it next time," Ozpin assured. "Alright! Onto the next server. Mister Ren, you're up."

"I'm ready," Ren stepped forward, more focused than his companion.

"You got zis, Ren," Jean-Luc cheered on.

"What's the scenario?" Ren asked.

"The scenario remains the same," said Ozpin, "however, the customer has changed. This time, you'll be catering to a wealthy oil tycoon from Vacuo."

"Yee-har, pardner. Imma wealthy oil tycoon from Vacuo," Dr. Oobleck drawled with the lamest, most phoned-in southern accent he can muster. "Ah like guns n' titties n' freedom n' steak. Ah reckon this here watering hole will be enough to hwet mah hwhistle. Yippee-ki-yay."

Ren's right eye twitched and he fought against the urge to facepalm himself. This was going to be a long two hours...


	34. Party In the SDC

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Take another peek into Jonas's life as the enigmatic White Fang.

_Sometime during the tour..._

"...You know, I've been thinking," Nora began.

"Scares me more than the Grimm," Yang quipped with grin.

"Hey, Weiss," Nora called, "do you think Mr. Arc ever encountered your family?"

"What kind of question is that?" replied Weiss, raising an eyebrow. "What makes you think Jaune's dad ever came into contact with my family? We hardly know each other as it is."

"It's just, he mentioned the Schnee Dust Corporation during his story. When he was hunting down the Elite in Atlas, he might've crossed paths with your family at some point. Maybe indirectly, maybe not. You could've passed by him years ago, just another stranger on the streets."

"I can't answer that for you, Nora. If something did happen that involved Mr. Arc and the SDC, odds are we'd never hear about it."

"Well, maybe during dinner, we can ask him about it," suggested Nora. "Don't you think it'd be interesting to hear about secret SDC incidents?"

"Um, I'd rather not," Weiss mumbled, looking away.

"Come, on. Aren't the least bit curious about what went down?" Nora pressed.

"Nora, if Weiss doesn't want to hear about how Mr. Arc sullied the good SDC name in his road to vengeance it'd probably be best to drop the matter entirely," Ruby joined in the conversation. "Besides, Mr. Arc bled for Blake's home, fighting for untold months against an army." Blake flushed at the memory.

"What's the worst he could've done in Atlas?"

* * *

_Atlas, Schnee Dust Corporation Main Headquarters, Several Years Ago..._

Atlas is a young kingdom built atop the bones of its predecessors, Mantle. Rigid in their militaristic culture, the country has often been criticized for their unpopular stance on politics, bordering on totalitarian in light of their current leadership. That being said, they are well respected throughout the world, if only because of their impressive military presence and abundance of heavy industries, Schnee Dust Corporation chief among them.

It is a harsh and unforgiving landscape that has forged a people tougher than iron and colder than ice. But for a country bumpkin like Jonas Arc, it was where he found true love in the frigid cold that one fateful ice fishing trip so many years ago.

Alas, he returns to the country not for sport or relaxation, but on a personal crusade of vengeance, one that had landed him on the doorstep of one of world's most powerful megacorps, the  _Schnee Dust Corporation_.

Word is the head honcho of the SDC had connections to the Elite, and had promised to disclose information to the world's authorities in exchange for amnesty. Jonas needed that information, one way or the other.

Schnee Dust Corporation's main headquarters was locked down tighter than a nun's chastity belt. Around the clock security, motion sensors, bio-scanners, voice recognition systems, the works. A pigeon could land on the roof of the building and anything with a gun strapped to it would be prepared to shoot its wings off at a moment's notice if it started making a ruckus.

Getting in there was going to be tricky, one wrong move and he'd be politely escorted off the premises in an SDC brand body bag (now available with your choice of sequins, matte finish, and custom embroidery).

And so, it came as a surprise to everybody, Jonas included, when his brilliant scheme to infiltrate the business equivalent of a fortified army base ultimately came down to  _mailing himself_  right to Jacques Schnee's own penthouse office via the Atlesian Postal Service. It was a crazy idea, no doubt, but it was crazy enough to work.

Bursting out of the large two by two by five foot cardboard box and scaring the living daylights out of everybody in the room, covered head to toe in foam packing peanuts, Jonas proceeded to make a mess of the place. In quick succession, he incapacitated the bodyguards staffed just outside the door, subdued Jacques Schnee, and helped himself to some water from a nearby water cooler to quench his thirst after being stuck in a box for who knows how long.

* * *

Jonas Arc breathed a sigh of relief as he finished tying the knot on the orange extension cords that kept CEO of Schnee Dust Corporation Jacques Schnee restrained to his large and in charge CEO's chair. With a curt tug of the cords and a disgruntled growl from his captive, he dust his hands off and spun the chair around, bringing him face to face with Jacques.

"Howdy. Name's Jonas," Jonas greeted with a toothy grin. "Now, mister Jack. You're probably wondering why I broke into your private office, incapacitated your bodyguards, tilted your paintings, and tied you to your chair with an extension cord I found while rummaging through the utility closet. Well, it's a funny story really-"

"Tsk, spare me the details. I've heard it all before," Jacque interrupted, scoffing at Jonas. Even in his current predicament, a man of his status could only display mild irritation towards his captor. "And it's  _Jacques_ , not Jack!"

"Jacques, Jack, same thing," Jonas waved it off.

"Be that as it may," Jacque continued through gritted teeth, "do you have even the slightest idea whatsoever to the ramifications of your foolhardy actions?!"

"...Is that a rhetorical question?" Jacques' eye twitched at the response.

"You know, I almost pity you.  _Almost_. Many have gotten to where you are now. Corporate saboteurs and assailants, all hired to do the dirty work of cowardly benefactors hoping to grasp even a glimpse of my success. They've tried brute force, and they tried espionage. Regardless of the methods used It's all ended the same way. In a few minutes, my private security force with flood the room and reduce you into an unrecognizable lump of flesh and fabric."

"Though I suppose as a courtesy I'll humor you in the traditional captive's manner." Jacques cleared his throat and tried his damndest to make it sound like he was terrified. That being said, it was quite obvious he was phoning it in. "Oh no, I've been captured! Whatever shall I do? What could my captor possibly want?"

"..." Jonas's expression hardened as his usual jovial demeanor faded away. He glared daggers at the man before asking in a voice so cold the kingdom of Atlas felt hot for a split second, "Where is he?"

The question catches Jacques off guard and his patronizing act is dropped immediately. "What are you talking about? Where's who?"

"You were associated with a man who has far more power than you will ever hope to achieve in your lifetime," Jonas continued, his voice never losing its icy edge. "A few days from now you will disclose information on that man to the world's authorities. You will tell me who he is and where he's hiding so that I may gut him like a fish."

"I... I don't know who you're talking about," Jacques uttered hesitantly, his calm demeanor faltering. Jonas's eyes narrowed.

"Now, don't you lie to me, Jack. It ain't polite. I don't know how or why, but given their reach and influence I can safely assume you're just a sock puppet to them, a talking head. A man of your status? The CEO of the world's largest producer of dust, military hardware, and other consumer products? You're the perfect candidate to exploit."

Jonas leans in close and scowls, his expression positively bestial in appearance. "They're on the run, the real important folks up high know and are scouring every corner of this blessed earth looking for 'em. You're gonna give one of them up anyway so cut the horse plop and tell me what I wanna know."

"I'm telling you, I don't know what you're talking about!" Jacques roars in defiance, yet reels back into his seat defensively. "And even if I did, this is not a matter you should concern yourself with!" He begins looking around frantically, his backup should've arrived by now. "Guards! Guards! Where the hell are they!? What am I paying these people for!?"

"Oh, they'll come alright. Soon as they deal with the core meltdown I caused earlier to buy us some time together."

"C-core meltdown?! Are you insane!" Jacques' demeanor shattered at the mention and he began losing his mind. "That core is powered by some of the rarest dust ever mined on the planet. It took decades of research to make it stable enough to be used a power source! If it goes critical in this very building, it will catalyze with the other dust stockpiles and turn everything into smoldering crater that would stretch for miles!"

"Oh, no. That sounds terrible!" Jonas replied mockingly. "But not important enough to change the subject. Now, give me a name."

"You have to let me go! If I don't oversee the containment procedures we're all going to die!" Jacques struggled in his bindings, rocking the chair back and forth.

"I'll let you go as soon as you give me what I want. Now, a name!" Jonas shouted.

"I told you god damn it. I. Don't. Know!" his response earned him a swift, solid hook to the temple by Jonas. "Gah! You insolent mongrel!"

"Don't lie to me! You know who he is, and the authorities want that information. Tell me his name!"

"I can't!" Jacques relented, wincing at Jonas's fury. "The authorities want him alive.  _I_  need him alive. They won't permit me amnesty unless I do. I-I can't let you kill him."

"That not for you to decide. They must pay for the atrocities they've committed upon Faunuskind."

"Vengeance for those animal skinwalkers? Is that what this is about?! Why do you care, you're human." Jonas was very tempted to slug Jacques upside the head again, but held himself back at the last second.

"Those men orchestrated my friend's death to fulfill their sick agenda," Jonas replied, visibly distraught at the memory.

"If you think I'm going to say 'I'm sorry for your loss,' you're sorely mistaken," Jacques grumbled. "But that can't be it. A single meaningless individual's life snuffed out by forces that control the world we walk on can't be the sole cause to drive you to such insanity. Unless..." Jacque paused and felt his heart stop for a split second. The blood drained from his face and he turned a fearful gaze towards Jonas, his inner horror renewed. "It's you..."

* * *

Jonas smiled wickedly and wasted no time in capitalizing Jacque's terror by plunging a leather boot right into his chest. The kick was so forceful that it sent Jacques crashing through the large wall of windows situated from behind his desk and out into the open air hundreds of feet above ground.

Time slowed down for Jacques as his world spun out of control. Gravity took hold of him and he plummeted him straight towards the cold earth, stopping abruptly only twelve feet into his descent as the whiplash snapped him into his seat and shards of glass whistled by him.

"Oh, God!" Jacques screamed as he dangled hundreds of feet off the ground. The wind was strong this high up. Gust of frigid air blasted him from every angle, rocking him side to side in his precarious position.

"No God, only me!" Jonas taunted from above. His foot was held firmly in place on the extension cord he used to tie up Jacques, the one thing that stood between Jacques' continued existence and a very messy end on frozen asphalt.

"Please, I didn't know!" Jacques shouted over the winds, heart beating so quick it damn near bursted out of his chest. "They came to me one day, forcing me to give up more resources, more soldiers that I didn't have! I've never seen them so desperate before! I didn't believe them when I overheard it was all to get one man! Months later after their dissolution they started disappearing one by one! I never had a choice in any of their operations! let me live!"

"Give me the name!" Jonas yelled, peering over the ledge.

"I can't!" Jacques throat grew hoarse with each shout. "I'll be ruined! The SDC will be ruined! I can't afford that!" The cord slipped from Jonas's foot and Jacques plunged a few more feet, washing another undiluted wave of terror over him. "Aaaah!"

"You got a lot more problems to worry about than your damn reputation at the moment, Jack!" Jonas let slip his foot again. "This extension cord is only a hundred foot long. And unless you want me to test that out, do yourself a favor and tell me the name!"

"No!"

_Another slip._

"The name!"

"Please!"

_One more._

"The name!"

"I'm begging you!"

_The last one._

"The! Name!"

"ALEC GREYWORTH! ...His alias is Alec Greyworth." Jacque finally let slip, and felt a heavy weight lifted from his sore shoulders. But the man was an absolute wreck. The adrenaline that coursed through his body calmed and the biting cold finally set in. His eyes were puffy and bloodshot from sobbing in his seat, his cheeks stained with tears. Even as Jonas began hauling him back up, the tension he suffered never left him.

Things were silent. With the exception of the howling winds, both Jonas and Jacques were deathly quiet. When Jacques finally reached the safety of his office, Jonas untied him and watched with pity as he collapsed onto his knees, ignoring the bits of glass scattered across the floor that were digging into his skin. After what felt like an eternity, Jonas spoke calmly.

"What's your connection to this Alec Greyworth."

"...I met him several years ago, when I wrested control of the company from my wife," Jacques began tiredly. "My first year was a disaster. Stocks were plummeting and clients were jumping ship left and right. The SDC was at an all time low and the old board of directors were furious with my ineptitude. I was going to end up the greatest laughingstock of the business world." He chuckled bitterly. "And then, I turned it all around."

"That's right, I remember that," said Jonas. "It was all over the news. The new CEO of the Schnee Dust Corporation and his miraculous turnaround. Young and inexperienced Jacques Schnee pulls an overnight success just when things were at its bleakest. The news networks ran that story for months, had your face on everything from magazines to holovid monitors."

"Hmph, of course they did." Jacques turned over and rested his back against the chair, a wistful look in his eyes. "That was what the world was supposed to believe. In reality, my saving grace came in the form of Alec Greyworth, or so he called himself. He showed up in this very same office one day, and made me an offer I couldn't refuse. In exchange for a seat on my board, he would make all my problems go away."

"For years as I lead my the company I toiled under his thumb, diverting countless resources for him and his colleagues for their goals, no questions asked. When their operations fell apart and they dissolved, I wasted no time in cleaning myself of their taint. I cut a deal with the world's authorities, selling out Greyworth in exchange for amnesty and maintaining clean image. And then  _you_  showed up," he spat.

"...Tell me where he's hiding, Jack," Jonas requested, his tone lighter than before.

"I own a private beachfront property far to the eastern shores of Atlas. It doubles as a safehouse as much as it is a winter getaway. You'll likely find him there." Jacques slumped back into his desk and sighed heavily. "Hmph, why am I even telling you this? None of it matters anyway. We're going to die soon. The core-"

"-Is fine," Jonas interjected, causing Jacques to snap his head towards him. Jacques stared at the man incredulously, his jaw slack.

"What are you talking about? You said that the cor-"

"I lied, you jackass." Jonas smirked. "You're giving me way too much credit. I ain't that smart."

"But, the security force-"

"Is occupied with something else..."

* * *

"Where did all these animals comes from!?"

The office and labs of the SDC were in total chaos. Employees huddled beneath the safety of their desk as squirrels, raccoons, and other large rodents ransacked the floor, one trash bin full of goodies at a time. Moose and stags by the herdful trotted down the hallways, bumping into unfortunate interns and overall causing a major headache for the guards stationed there. It was impossible to work, let alone function in any given capacity during the madness.

The SDC had become one big zoo and we had Jonas Arc to thank for it.

* * *

"I cut a hole through the wire fence and planted a trail full of food pellets to lead animals into your warm toasty building right before I mailed myself in. As it turns out, your guards, as well trained and disciplined as they may be, wouldn't dare shoot at a poor defenseless woodland critter without looking like an heartless animal hater in front of his peers."

"You-you!?" Jacques face turn hot and red. He had been bamboozled and the embarrassment of it all reignited his rage. "Why? Gah! You!?" His words were caught in his throat, he couldn't process his anger properly. Chuckling to himself, Jonas dusted himself off and walked over to the ledge, his clothes billowing in the wind.

"Well, it's been fun terrorizing you and your staff and causing untold thousands in property damage, but I have places to be and skulls to cleave. Toodle Loo!" Jonas leaned over the ledge, preparing to jump.

"Wait!" Jacques exclaimed, reaching out. "You can't leave me like this! If I don't turn in Greyworth the SDC will suffer for it!  _I'll_  suffer it!"

"Hey, that's your problem, Jack, not mine. Besides, I'm sure you'll think of something." Jonas turned towards Jacques and gave him the stink eye. "Oh, and don't think for a second that I didn't notice that portrait on your desk. For a married man and a father of three, you sure don't act like either. If our paths ever cross again, pray it's under better circumstances. Adios, Jackie!"

Without another word, Jonas shoved Jacques aside and leapt through the air. With a mighty holler, he disappeared into the mist, leaving behind an agitated and bewildered CEO in his wake.

* * *

Though Jacques managed to luck his way out of a corporate disaster and maintain his place in the world, to this day, he harbors a particularly hate-filled grudge towards Jonas Arc for the twenty eight minutes of hell he was subjected to so long ago. Though, unlike his long dead and/or incarcerated benefactors, seeking vengeance would be a fruitless pursuit, for he knows better than to step on the White Fang's tail.

And besides, if it weren't for that indignant oaf of a man, he'd still be working for the Elite. In a cosmic sort of way, he was thankful for the turnout. Not that he'll ever admit it, mind you...


	35. Putting the Pain in Paint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jenivieve is an artist, and it shows.

**Elves.**

With the exception of their toy building, cookie baking, war making counterparts, they are an ancient race of long lived beings similar in appearance to the average human that are a staple of the fantasy genre. Common depictions of the popular fantasy race often portray elves as tall, lithe, and nimble humanoids with long pointed ears, unfathomable beauty, and skills with a bow so extraordinary they are worthy of song.

But you must be asking yourself, what do elves have to do with Jenivieve? Well, I'd be telling the truth when I say she closely resembles one, for a round-ear that is.

At full height, Jenivieve stood as tall as Jacqueline, making her taller than Jocelyn, and possibly the rest of her siblings as well.

Compared to her older sisters, Jenivieve was not muscular like Jocelyn, nor was she curvaceous like Jacqueline. Rather, she was quite spindly with a respectable bust, and judging by the way she was currently stretching, unnaturally flexible to boot.

It was as though someone took a regular person and smooshed them on both sides, creating a taller but thinner individual.

Her hair, as noted earlier, was golden blonde. It was styled in a large ring that ended right below the small of her back and was held in place with a blocky, ornate hair clip. If it were to fall loose, the length of her hair would touch the floor, and then some.

Jenivieve's facial features were by far the most alluring aspect of her. Her beauty was immaculate. She had flawless skin as pale as the shattered moon and smoother than silk, small perky lips, and a button nose. But her eyes, her eyes were hypnotic. They were like shimmering pools of bright molten emerald that pulls you in from the mere sight of it. Once you catch a glimpse of them, it'll take every ounce of willpower you've got to wrench yourself away.

Her clothes, if you could even call them that, was a skintight latex body suit that had been messily painted over... And that was about the extent of it. She wasn't wearing anything else, which left absolutely nothing to the imagination. In fact, despite covering up her entire body from the neck down, and splattered with paint, the thin material adhered to Jenivieve's curves, acting like a second skin of sorts. Almost every detail of her body was there, as if she were actually naked...

"Ahem," Jenivieve coughed, snapping her peers out of their stupor.

"Whuah!? An elf!" Yang cried, trembling in place, turning more than a few eyes over to her directions. "Uh, I-I mean, it's nice to meet you, Jenivieve. Eh, heh, heh..." She smiled sheepishly.

"Y-yeah, what she said," said Nora, coughing into her hand. "I'm talking about meeting you, not the other part- You know what, just forget all about that. Hi, my name's Nora. Your brother's my team leader." She quickly changed the subject by skipping right to introductions.

Each of the girls politely introduced themselves to Jenivieve and explained their relation with Jaune, meanwhile, Jacqueline remained quiet, rolling her eyes at her sister's shenanigans. When all was said and done, Nora continued the conversation by asking about the obvious.

"Um, wow. Nice entrance. Little creepy, but it definitely caught us off guard."

"Entrance?" Jenivieve raised an eyebrow.

"Was there a reason you were like..." Blake motioned to the chains, "that?"

"Oh, that. That's how I sleep," Jenivieve replied nonchalantly. "You just woke me from my nap."

"Er, what?" Ruby was nonplussed. "You're telling me you like sleeping like that? Looks really uncomfortable."

"Oh, it is. That's the point," Jenivieve replied nonchalantly, again. "Sensory deprivation, bondage, and masochism. External stimuli that help to jump start the creativity in my head, the sparks of inspiration to the artist. I must always be vigilant in catching the fading embers that lend their power to my hands, to my work. Even if it means chaining myself up in pitch black darkness for hours at a time."

"That's... a bit extreme, don't you think?" Weiss commented, looking particularly perturbed towards Jenivieve's unhealthy dedication to her craft.

"Nothing is too extreme for art!" Jenivieve suddenly exclaimed, looking positively offended. Everyone was taken aback by her outburst, flinching at the sheer volume of her voice. Three guesses as to who she might have inherited it from. "My dedication to my craft is proof of that."

"I'm sorry, everyone. She's like this all the time, ever since she spoke her first words," Jacqueline sighed, pinching at the bridge of her nose. "Out of six other sisters and one brother, Jenivieve had to be the artist."

"While we're on the subject, if that's how you sleep, than why was, er, your nap made to look like a sculpture," Blake asked.

"Philistine, have you not heard of performance art?" Jenivieve accused, motioning towards to her bed.

"M-me? A philistine?" Blake felt like she'd taken a slap right to the face.

"I am an artist asleep as I am an artist awake. Why would I let something like sleep stop me from doing what I do best; create art, even if I  _am_  the art! And seeing as you girls couldn't tell me apart from an actual sculpture, I'd say my work speaks for itself."

"And this wouldn't be the first time either," Jacqueline muttered faintly beneath her breath.

"This has happened before?" Pyrrha whispered back.

"Several times, in fact..." She frowned.

* * *

_One Year Ago..._

"Look, I know I'm not that great, but I'm not going to get any better if everyone keeps babying me. Crocea Mors is as much a part of me as it is a part of the family. I want to honor our legacy. I wanna go to Beacon. I... I want to be a hero that everyone can look upon and know that hope still burns bright, even if the Grimm want to eat everybody... Thanks for hearing me out, sis. It feels refreshing to actually speak my mind without everyone worrying about me."

"Jaune? What are you doing in my room?"

Jaune stopped his ramblings and quickly scrambled to face the source of the voice. He saw his older sister, Jenivieve, standing by the doorway, still dressed in that ridiculous bodysuit of hers and carrying several bags of art supplies. He turned to the other 'Jenivieve' that was supposedly resting upside down beside him, suspended from the ceiling by a long chain that also binded her entire body like a metallic cocoon.

He performed several double takes between his two sisters before coming to the conclusion that he'd been spending quality time with his sister's mannequin lookalike,  _again_. Sighing, he replied to his sister with a dejected tone laced in his voice.

"Pouring my heart out to a wooden dummy for the last hour and a half, it would seem..."

* * *

"So, word is you all lust for my baby brother," Jenivieve said out of the blue.

"Well, l-lust is such a strong word," Ruby sputtered at Jenivieve's brazenness as she and everyone else blushed profusely. "I-I-I mean, J-Jaune's a great guy and all. B-but to lust after him, I-I-"

"Ah, ha ha ha! I jest, I jest," Jenivieve laughed, smiling back with a wave of her hand. "I'm sure you all care for him deeply. I won't tease you too much. My family will do that for me."

"Good to know where you stand on the matter," Nora deadpanned.

"But, Jaune..." Jenivieve became wistful at his name. "Oh, dearest baby brother! Why don't you call home more often? Big sister misses you!" she proclaimed dramatically.

"We all miss him, Jenivieve," said Jacqueline, resting a comforting hand on her sister's painted shoulders. "But the fact of the matter is he's a hunter now, and a leader at that. I'm sure he's busy with important leader business back at Beacon."

* * *

"Come on, Neptune." Jean-Luc smirked. "Servir le client. Rapidement."

"It's harder that it looks, man!" Neptune retorted. "Besides, you're not the guy who's gotta deal with that!" he pointed an accusing finger towards Dr. Oobleck, who had his glasses hanging at the side of his ear to emulate a crude monocle. He was currently posing as a refined english gentleman with a terrible accent and a case of fervent nationalism.

"I say, good chap. I could certainly go for some bangers and mash and fish and chips and tea. Pip, pip, cheerio! Ello' guv'ner! How about that cricket, eh? Keep calm and carry on. We shall fight on the beaches. The sun never sets on the empire. God save the queen!"

"Aaaaaaaaah!" Neptune screamed. He screamed, but no one would listen to his anguished cries of torment.

* * *

"I'm sure he does," Jenivieve mumbled. "But he was my muse! I hit my stride with my art whenever he was around. Now, I struggle to even find the tiniest of inspiration. I feel hollow, and lately my artwork has suffered for it. They lack soul, character, substance." She turned her head and stared intently at one of the art hung up on the wall. Everyone turned to see what she was viewing and saw a crude drawing scrawled with crayons. "They lack heart..."

Even from afar, the drawing was easy to make out. It was a picture of Jaune and Jenivieve as stick figures, drawn with bright electrifying colors and the talents of a four year old. It was captioned with the words, ' _tu Mi beeg sistUr JenneVeVVeV. lov Jone_ '.

"That's adorable!" Ruby grinned.

"Hmph, Jaune should've been a artist like his sister." Weiss had a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Oh, I'm so holding that one over Jaune," Yang quickly snapped a photo of the drawing on her scroll.

"H-how sweet," Pyrrha's eyes were sparkling at the drawing. She felt like her heart would burst if she stared at it any longer.

"Aaaaaw, how cute!" Nora gushed. "He did that all by himself?"

"Yes, all by himself," Jenivieve smiled fondly. "He could barely spell or count to ten, yet he made art that came from the heart. I wish I could recapture that magic, even though he's gone. But how?" She looked lost in thought. "Maybe it's time to start sleeping on a bed of nails..." The girls' eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets at the crazed suggestion. "...while wrapped in chains. Yes, that sounds like a good idea."

"Or,  _or_ , you could do something that doesn't involve self flagellation in the pursuit of artistic inspiration," Weiss reasoned.

"Sleeping on a bed of nails isn't self flagellation. In fact, I hear it's good for your circulation," Jenivieve countered. "But if you don't thinking resting atop six hundred pointy nails is a good idea, then what is?"

"Uh, you could try, um, looking at the bigger picture?" Yang offered, unsure of her own words.

"Hmm... Nah, too cliche."

"What about looking at nature?" said Pyrrha.

"Pfft, what is this, amateur hour? Painters have drawn inspiration from nature for centuries. It gets old after a while, believe me."

"How about listening to music?" said Blake.

"Music, eh? That could work," Jenivieve rubbed at her chin. "Hey, Jacqueline. Let me borrow your Slayer album."

"W-what?!" At the mention of the metal band, the color from Jacqueline's face drained till she became white as a sheet. She fumbled with her speech, and attempted to fabricate a legitimate defense. "I-I don't own a Slayer album, and certainly not an autographed copy of Reign in Blood, their best selling album of all time... Not that I would know that since I don't own it. Nope, not at all. It's a totally foreign item to me."

"Okay, what about Diamondhead?"

"No!"

"Iron Maiden?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Black Sabbath?"

"That one's mint in the package! Er, I mean, I don't own any music from these rocking metal bands whatsoever. N-not that I would know they rock."

"Well, I guess music is off the table... for now," Jenivieve furrowed her brow. "Any other suggestions?"

"M-maybe the inspiration was with you the whole time?" said Ruby, not knowing whether to cringe or facepalm herself for uttering such a cheesy line.

"...The inspiration was with me the whole ti- Of course!" Jenivieve exclaimed, struck with a eureka moment. She began muttering incoherent nonsense in her mother's native tongue, occasionally switching between english every few sentences. "No, it can't be... Unless!" Jenivieve pulled snapped her attention over to the girls and framed them with her fingers. "Yes, yes! It was in front of me all this time. I'm feeling it, the inspiration!"

Without a moment to lose, Jenivieve moved with elf-like agility, snatching a blank canvas, brushes, and paints before setting it all down and turning it into a masterpiece right before our heroine's eyes.

Her hands were a technicolor blur. With a brush in between each finger, the clutches of her toes, and even between her teeth, she ran them across the canvas with wild twisting limbs that had all the subtle grace of a seizure induced octopus. Sprays of paint, small and large, would violently erupt from the tips her brush with each vigorous stroke. She would occasionally take pause, dunking her brushes straight into the paint pots before resuming her madness unabated.

"This sensation! Oh, how I've missed this!" Her outlandish cries of joy were as maniacal as they were rapturous. It was this sadistic glee she partook in her work that disturbed her peers to no ends.

Before long, Jenivieve slowed to a complete stop, basking in the afterglow of her painter's high. Shivers wracked throughout her body, twitching spasms of pleasure that were not dissimilar to having experienced an, ahem,  _orgasm_. Or in her case, being struck with an fleeting bout of artistic inspiration. Her work was done, slower than she had expected from days of idleness, but the results spoke for themselves.

When she finally came down from her high, she spun around, revealing her brand new painting, and a lopsided grin plastered on her face along with a spray of red paint, conjuring the disconcerting image of an unhinged serial killer. Thankfully, everyone's attention was on the painting rather than her unflattering visage. With flair, she motioned to her art.

"Behold, my latest creation. I call it,  _The Flower Knight_."

Painted in the classical idealistic styles of the Renaissance, The Flower Knight depicted a stalwart knight clad in pearl white armor overlooking a field of sunflower from atop the dirt road. He was waving towards the group fair maidens that were tending to the bountiful fields below, six beautiful woman wearing an assortment of colorful dresses, few of whom waved back to the knight from afar.

It was a simple painting. It lacked flash or pizazz, but it didn't need any. This painting was all about the knight, the flowers, and the sextet of fair maidens.

The girls had to admit, despite witnessing what was perhaps the most bizarre and unearthly painting session of their lives, Jenivieve had the talent and the skills to back up her phenomenal art, when they made sense that is. Within a matter of minutes, she had transformed a blank white canvas into a masterpiece with paint and a few brush strokes. But when they observed the painting more closely, they discovered some peculiar details.

One, the knight was blonde, and looked suspiciously similar to Jaune. Two, the six maidens were clearly supposed to be all of them, right down to their color schemes and hairstyle, albeit slightly older and dressed in sixteenth centuries fineries. And three, it can be assumed that Jenivieve's inspiration was their apparent love for her younger brother, which she represented through this stunning oil painting.

Subtle implications aside, their inner reactions were mixed.

Nora, being Nora, adored the painting, and she liked her alternate self. It was like staring into a portrait of an parallel universe, one where she was a peasant in the middle ages. Yang was flattered, seeing as her other self had her cleavage hanging out loud and proud like a busty Bavarian barmaid.

Pyrrha and Blake were bewildered, both their painted counterparts' bust had been shrunken down a few sizes for whatever reason. Meanwhile, the inverse had happened to Ruby and Weiss, who were both on par with Yang's own impressive bust. It was as if Jenivieve scooped up Pyrrha and Blake's bosoms like a lump of wet clay and slapped them over Weiss and Ruby's own. Needless to say, the contrast between one another was absolutely jarring.

"Huh, now I regret not drinking more milk..." Ruby pouted, crossing her arms.

"Wow." Weiss blinked a few times. "I look  _good_."

"Speak for yourself..." Blake grumbled. Usually this kind of thing wouldn't bother her, but seeing herself in a beautiful painting with a near flat chest made her feel somewhat self conscious. Luckily for her, misery loves company.

"I-I'm not  _that_  small... am I?" Pyrrha stuttered.

"Oh, don't take it personally, Pyrrha." Nora patted her friend on the back, a smug smile plastered on her face. "Not all of us could have great painted renditions of ourselves, such as myself."

"Yes, because  _that_  is the problem," Blake continued to sulk, her ears drooping as a result.

"O-ooh, I can still feel the tingling sensation of inspiration coursing through my veins. It feels like a warm straightjacket of ecstacy!" Jenivieve shuddered uncontrollably, hugging herself to still her writhing frame. "I can't stop now, I need to get more canvas, more paints! My burning drive cannot be smoted!"

And so, Jenivieve began dashing around her room in the same frenzy as before, gathering art supplies from every corner of the room and recklessly splashing paint on multiple canvases. As the seconds ticked on by, she became consumed by her art. The world around her slowly morphed into white static, both visually and audibly. All that mattered was her next masterpiece, and the one after that, and the one after that...

From an outsider's perspective, it would've appeared that Jenivieve had gone off the deep end. But to her audience, this was her modus operandi. And while the girls could respect her passion and eccentricities, they weren't going to lie, that woman lived in a world of her own design.

One that was filled with paint and pain.

"We should leave her be," Jacqueline began, breaking the awkward silence that surrounded the girls. "When Jenivieve gets in one of her moods, it can be impossible to get her out of it. Better to let it run its course, by suppertime preferably."

* * *

Ruby and her friends moved a lot quicker than they would've liked. Not just to meet the next sister down the line, but to get as far away from Jenivieve as possible before reconvening together at the dinner table. She was certainly a firecracker, and not someone you'll forget about anytime soon. But it was that same energy and unmistakable presence that drove them off. There was only so much of the woman you can take in all at once without feeling like you lost a part of yourself in the process.

The walk was quiet, and relatively uneventful. Jacqueline kept to herself, and everyone was too preoccupied with ridding themselves of Jenivieve's infectious energy to think straight, let alone ask a question.

Eventually, the group reached the room of the next sister, or at least they had assumed so. The area in question was cold and unpleasant, mainly due to the fact that it was a large utilitarian warehouse that reeked of industrial grease, fresh gunpowder, and clean brass. There was no name on the rigid metal door that led into the room, only an ominous sign that stated:

' **Authorized personnel only. Trespassers will be severely dealt with** '

Everyone swallowed a lump that they didn't even know had formed in their throat. What kind of person would live like this, in such an amiable environment no less, they wondered.

"Please, stand clear of the door. This is something you needn't concern yourself with," Jacqueline spoke with an eerie calmness that was followed by a heavy sigh, further spooking her guests. They all complied and watched with growing tension as Jacqueline approached the door nonchalantly. Reaching for the handle, she swiftly slid the door aside.

What happened next honestly had to be seen to be believed.

It all happened in the span of a few seconds, and took far longer to process. A string of ear rupturing bangs ruptured through the air, causing everyone around the door to instinctually jump back and raise their hands in defense. Beans bags, or rather mere blurs of red, jetted towards Jacqueline at mach speed, threatening to collide with her fair skin and leave painful welts all over her body.

But with speed, skill, and dexterity unfitting for an accountant, Jacqueline reacted to the attack in a way that made everyone watching do a double take. Beautiful hands with soft skin and expertly manicured nails moved to intercept each bean bag in a calm and methodical manner. It only took a split second, blink and you'll miss it, as each offending projectile was plucked out of the air and harmlessly dropped to the floor.

When the sound had died down, and the smoke cleared, the girls dared to peer beyond the door frame and beheld a crudely constructed trap. Several shotguns of different make and models had been welded onto a metal frame that sat behind the door. Each trigger had been tied off with a string, which had been rigged to the handle of the door. When the door is pulled on, the trap is sprung, and the intruder would be pelted with several bean bags all at once.

One by one, everyone's jaws hit the floor in rapid succession. Jacqueline had effectively caught bullets out of the air in the time it takes someone to think up a single thought. Granted the projectiles were weighted bean bags, they were still fired at point blank range. This was not just a matter of speed. Ruby prided herself on speed, but what Jacqueline had performed was matter of speed and  _reaction_.

Guns, several of them, had gone off a mere four feet right in front of Jacqueline. And yet, with fluid and precise motions that appeared as little more than a slight twitch, she demonstrated to everyone that she wasn't just a regular accountant, she was  _ **the**_  accountant.

The eldest of the Arc children, more hero than she appears.

"Unbelievable," Jacqueline muttered, a look of disapproval evident on her face. "I asked her to quit it with the traps, but it appears I'll have to be more thorough this time around." She turned around and faced the girls, who were all still trapped in a shocked stupor. Their mouths remained agape, rising and falling in a fashion similar to a landlocked goldfish. A small smile formed on Jacqueline's lips, and she rolled her eyes at the sight of it all.

"Girls?" she asked.

"Whuah?" Ruby snapped back to reality. "What jus-"

"Come along now," Jacqueline interjected. "I have a few choice words I wish to share with my sister."

Ruby nodded along and helped to bring the rest of her friends back to the waking world. They each muttered to themselves in confusion, snapping to and fro one another before finally coming to their senses. They all witnessed what Jacqueline had done, but there will be a time to talk about it later. For the time being, they followed Jacqueline into the warehouse, wondering just who this fourth sister is.


End file.
